Vision
by Kyarorain
Summary: The story of five Adepts who are drawn together under mysterious circumstances and find themselves wrapped in a legend which could endanger the world. AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Vision**

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Yep, I'm rewriting the whole fic. It kind of suffered from my old writing style, so I thought I'd update it a bit, and change some minor things as well, including what I might consider to be a little plothole. But, enough of that. Please enjoy the rewritten version of the longest and most popular out of my fics. I probably shouldn't admit the rewrite almost took a year... lazy me. But it's close to completion now so I'm starting the new year 2008 by uploading the rewritten chapters! 

Camelot owns Golden Sun.

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The six-year-old boy tossed and turned as he lay on his mattress. Just one thin sheet had been drawn over his pyjama-clad body. He sleepily muttered, his voice sounding hoarse. 

"Isaac?" A cool hand pressed against his forehead. In the boy's sleep, he wasn't even aware of his mother's touch. The woman standing over him frowned and reached down to dip a cloth in the bucket that sat by Isaac's bed. She wrung it thoroughly to get the excess water out and placed it on Isaac's forehead. "Hurry up and get better please," Dora whispered, sounding strained as she anxiously watched him.

"Dora?" A third person entered the room. Dora raised a finger to her lips and turned to look at her husband. He understood and quietly walked over to stand next to her. His concerned blue eyes fell over his son. "It's not looking any better, is it?"

"I think we should take him to the Great Healer, Kyle," Dora whispered in an anxious voice. Isaac simply seemed to be getting worse, not better. His head was hot to the touch and his face was coloured a deep shade of pink that clashed with his dark blonde hair. "I think he's just getting worse."

"Okay." Kyle nodded decisively. "Let's take him over there immediately." Dora stepped back as he reached out to gently pick Isaac up in his arms. The cloth fell unheeded to the mattress as Isaac wriggled in his father's arms, but he did not wake.

As Kyle walked to the door, Dora glanced down and spotted a plush rabbit lying next to the bed. This was Isaac's favorite toy. She supposed he must have knocked it off the bed in his fitful sleep and automatically reached down to pick it up. Still holding the rabbit, Dora followed Kyle out of the house, pausing to lock the door behind her. They quickly hurried toward the sanctum, not wishing to waste any time.

In their haste, they were unaware of the three children standing near the house and watching them with curious stares. The tallest, a boy the same age as Isaac, turned to look at the girl standing next to him, his brown eyes filled with curiosity.

"I think something's wrong with Isaac," said the boy, sounding worried for his friend. "I wonder what it is. We haven't been able to see him since yesterday."

The girl bit her lip, also looking quite anxious. She shook her head as the wind blew her reddish hair in her face and turned to look at him. "Hey, I know, they must be going to the sanctum. Why don't we follow them up there?" Before he could answer, she was already putting a step forward.

The third person, a dark-haired boy who was a year older than them both, quickly stepped up and put a hand on her arm, stopping her in her tracks. She turned to look at him with wide, questioning eyes and he shook his head. "Jenna, I think if Isaac is ill, it would be best to stay away. We might risk catching what he's got."

"But... but... Isaac is ill..." Jenna trailed off and stared at her feet in disappointment. She badly wanted to see Isaac and make sure that he was going to be alright, but her brother seemed to be right as usual. It just wasn't fair. Her bottom lip stuck out in an angry pout and she huffed loudly.

"Oh, it's alright," the tall boy spoke in an attempt to comfort her, "I'm sure that Isaac is going to be just fine anyway. Really." Though he sounded light-hearted in saying so, his eyes still betrayed his concern.

Jenna whirled around to glare at him, her temper spiked by his attitude. "Don't you even care, Garet?" Before Garet could defend himself or speak, she was already raising a fist to sock him. Fortunately, her brother stepped between the two of them before she could hit him.

"What have I said about hitting people?" He asked, looking at her reproachfully. "You know it gets you into trouble."

"Oh, come on, Felix, Garet's beating mean," Jenna said, pouting again and looking at him with wide, upset eyes. "And Mom and Dad needn't know what I did."

"Well, it's just that the last time you hit him, you actually gave him a black eye," Felix reminded her. "Just calm down, Jenna. Garet's just trying to make you feel better about it."

"Ugh..." Garet grumbled and turned away, the threat of almost having been hit by Jenna already forgotten. "I'm so bored. I wish Isaac would hurry up and get better then we could all play together again."

The trio began to drift north toward the sanctum, though they knew better to try and get in. However, concern for Isaac made them want to be nearby in the hope that he would come out all better again. On the way, walking through Vale, they paused by Garet's house and Jenna turned to look at the garden behind the house.

"Oh, Kay is out watering her flowers again," Jenna said, watching Garet's older sister kneeling over the flowers and holding up the small watering can. She seemed to be in a world of her own as she gazed at her flowers while water sprinkled down on them. "Her flowers are so pretty."

"I can't see the big deal," Garet said in disgust. "Sometimes, I just want to stomp over Kay's stupid flowers and make her cry."

"That's not nice, Garet," Felix said, throwing a disdainful glance at him. "You're really mean."

"Come on, let's go wait outside the sanctum," Jenna said excitedly, grabbing their arms and pulling them both toward the building. She believed that Isaac would be coming out any minute now and he would be much better.

As the children ran up to the sanctum building and sat down outside the large doors, they had no idea how close Isaac was to death at that moment.

Inside the sanctum, Kyle and Dora were looking at the Great Healer with concerned gazes as he stood over Isaac and examined him. Isaac was awake now and moaning fretfully, throwing his limbs around as he lay on the sanctum bed. Not even the toy rabbit lying next to him was enough to placate his fretful mood. His face was slowly paling and his eyes kept sliding shut, his eyelids appearing to rest even longer with each blink.

"Can you tell us what is wrong with Isaac?" Kyle asked anxiously, reaching out to smooth back Isaac's blond bangs from his sweat covered forehead. "Please, tell us. He's our son."

"Kyle," Dora said, in an attempt to calm him. She grabbed a hand and squeezed it tightly, slightly comforted as he squeezed it back. Her eyes flicked from Isaac to the Great Healer.

"Well," the Great Healer spoke cautiously, not meeting their gazes as he looked in concern at the ailing child. "For one thing, Isaac has a very high temperature caused by his fever. However, that is not the only thing wrong with him."

"There's something else wrong with him?" Dora asked anxiously.

"What is it?" Kyle's voice rose and he broke off, realising what he was doing. They were both extremely worried about Isaac, but it would not help to lose his calm.

"Isaac appears to have a viral infection that is potentially fatal," the Great Healer said, after releasing a deep breath. He shook his head regretfully. "It seems to have been spreading through his body for a long time and now his immune system has become too weak to cope with it."

"Well... can you heal him or not?" Dora asked in a small voice. Even her own voice sounded far away.

"I don't know," the Great Healer admitted, bowing his head and looking saddened. He did not like to see this child suffering and to know he hadn't been able to do anything so far. "It appears to require a power that is far stronger than mine."

"But... that means... Isaac will..." Kyle broke off, eyes widening in horror. Dora burst into hysterical tears and threw herself against her husband, burying her face in his chest. He numbly looked down at Isaac as he enfolded her in his arms.

"He can't die..." Dora sobbed out. "He can't!"

"Isaac... you can't die..."

Isaac was sitting upon a soft, white surface. He looked around in consternation, gazing at the landscape. Everything was white, with small puffs rising off its surface. The sky was clear and blue above him and the sun felt much warmer up here. Isaac frowned, trying to remember what had happened.

He could remember being in the sanctum building, on one of their beds. He was feeling very ill and a bit sleepy, and he was so hot. As that healer man had been speaking to his mom and dad, everything had gone black. Isaac mechanically reached out as he searched for his toy rabbit, his face scrunching up as he realised it was not there.

"Weed!" Isaac cried out, calling for his toy. He had simply decided to call the rabbit Weed one day as a toddler, when he tried to make it eat the food off his plate. It had ended up with a dirty face as a result. Dora had rescued it and before taking it away to clean, she told Isaac rabbits would prefer to eat weeds. From that day, Isaac had called the blue stuffed rabbit Weed.

"I'm here, Isaac."

"Weed?" Isaac looked confused as he heard the voice. Surely his toy rabbit couldn't possibly be talking to him. It couldn't talk.

"No, it's me," a gentle voice told him. Isaac was startled as an apparition floated down in front of him. He let out a squeal of delight, happy to see someone in this strange and lonely place.

"Pretty lady!" Isaac exclaimed, reaching out to her, a huge grin plastered on his face.

"It's going to be okay, Isaac," the lady said, stepping toward him. She appeared to be just seventeen years old. Her long flowing white dress flapped in the soft breeze. A dark blue bow was wrapped around her waist, ribbons streaming down to the end of her dress. The chest area was emblazoned with a purple symbol.

Isaac gazed at her in rapture, transfixed by her flowing blue hair. It was such an unusual colour and it looked so long and silky. The lady kneeled next to Isaac and it was only then he noticed the wide, feathery wings coming from her back, almost transparent in appearance.

"Just remember, I am always here," she whispered into Isaac's ear, glowing with a soft blue light radiating from inside her. White rings flowed along her body. The rings also appeared around Isaac and in that moment, he was cleansed of the fatal disease ravaging his body.

Isaac smiled happily and grabbed at the girl's hair, enjoying the feel of the soft, silky strands he clasped with his fist. The girl smiled back and wrapped her arms around him in a gentle embrace. Isaac fell into a deep sleep.

Only to immediately awaken on the sanctum bed. His eyes flew open and he stared up at the ceiling, recognising the sanctum. There was crying from close by, which Isaac thought was his mother, though he couldn't understand why she was crying. Isaac turned his head and looked at his parents who stood by the bed. They were holding each other in their arms. Dora was freely sobbing and Kyle also had tears on his face, though he was silent.

"Mom? Dad?" Isaac said in a tentative voice, sitting up and looking at them curiously. He looked healthy once again, his face flushed with a healthy glow and his eyes sparkling with energy. Isaac noticed Weed lying next to him and snatched up the rabbit in the crook of his left arm, while sticking his right thumb in his mouth and staring at his parents with wide, round eyes.

Dora was the first to turn and look, gasping aloud as she saw Isaac sitting up. She broke free of her husband's embrace and rushed to him. Kyle also turned to look, hurrying over and looking joyful as he realised that Isaac was alright now.

"Isaac!" they cried in unison. Dora picked him off the bed and held him tightly in her arms. Kyle wrapped his arms around both of them, kissing his son on the head in relief. Isaac snuggled into his mother's chest, happy at the attention.

"It's a miracle," Dora sobbed out, tears of joy rolling down her face. "Isaac came back... it really is a miracle!"

"Isaac is a miracle." Kyle grinned broadly and ruffled Isaac's golden hair. "Our own little miracle."

Isaac just fixed his parents with questioning stares, absolutely clueless about what was going on. He had no idea of the fate that had almost met him.

"This is truly amazing," the Great Healer said, smiling broadly. "To think Isaac recovered so suddenly at that moment. If I hadn't been here to see it myself, I don't think I would have believed the tale."

"Mommy, what's so amazing?" Isaac pouted, as Dora and Kyle walked to the sanctum doors, Dora still holding him in her arms. As they stepped through the doors, Isaac saw Felix, Garet and Jenna standing outside. He smiled happily and tried to wriggle free of his mother's arms.

"Is Isaac okay?" Felix asked anxiously.

"Isaac is fine now," Kyle reassured him.

"Then can he play with us now?" Garet asked.

"Of course," Dora said, kneeling to the ground and releasing Isaac. Isaac quickly joined his friends, still waving his toy rabbit around as he reunited with him. Once again, Dora was overcome by emotion and started crying.

"Look after him," Kyle said with a smile as he took Dora aside and led her away to their house, leaving Isaac alone with his friends. The four children excitedly rushed off to play.

The chosen spot for the four to go and play was their secret place by a cave up in the north part of the village. To get there, they had to scale a fence, but with enough practice, they could get over it effortlessly now. Jenna would often scrape her knees in her haste to clear the fence, but obstinately claimed she was okay and ignored her injuries. Garet was usually last over, weight and clumsiness hindering his best efforts somewhat. Isaac and Felix could always get over easily enough.

Once the fence had been cleared, the children went to sit by the cave. Often, they had talked of actually going in there, but sometimes growling could be heard from inside the cave. The sounds were enough to keep them away. Garet's father had even claimed that there were monsters inside and they did not doubt that one bit.

"I saw a pretty lady!" Isaac exclaimed once he'd explained what had been happening and got to the dream he'd had in the sanctum. He lifted up Weed and made him sniff at Jenna's face. Jenna giggled and pushed the rabbit away. "She had this really long blue hair and wings and she was very nice."

"So what was her name?" Felix asked, smiling in amusement. He wasn't sure whether to believe Isaac's story or not, especially with the blue hair and wings. Who even had blue hair and wings? Isaac was prone to saying the silliest things, but he looked sincere enough at this moment.

"Um..." Isaac paused in thought, then his face fell flat. "Actually... I don't know."

Garet let out a snort of derision. "So you see a pretty girl, but you don't even know her name? Yeah right!"

"Don't say that, Garet," Jenna snapped, glaring hotly at the red-headed boy. "Isaac might be telling the truth."

"I am telling the truth!" Isaac burst out, his face crumpling. His eyes welled up with sudden tears and he pulled his knees up to his chest, burying his face in Weed's soft blue fur as the rabbit lay in his lap. Isaac sniffled quietly and Jenna quickly tried to placate him, tentatively patting his head.

"It's okay," Jenna said soothingly. "Don't cry. We believe you." She wrapped an arm around him and hugged him tightly.

"Wimp," Garet muttered, shaking his head and feeling quite unsympathetic for his crying friend. Though he had said it quietly enough that Isaac wouldn't hear, Felix picked it up.

"Be quiet, Garet," Felix said sharply, nudging Garet with a foot. Garet winced and shifted away from him so he couldn't do it again.

"You believe me?" Isaac said slowly, looking up and gazing at his friends. His face was streaked with wet trails.

"Of course we believe you," Felix said firmly, shooting a look at Garet. "Let's talk about something else now."

"Yay!" Isaac cheered, throwing Weed up into the air. Garet quickly leaped forward and snatched the rabbit from him. Isaac cried out as Garet began running off with his precious toy. Jenna laughed and got off the ground, running after Garet. Isaac grinned playfully and hurried after them. Before long, Felix had also joined in the game and it turned into a frantic game of keeping the rabbit away from Isaac. The game lasted well into the evening and their parents had to come and find them for supper.

As Isaac headed home, he thought of the pretty girl. He wondered if he would be seeing her again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Vision**

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And here's Chapter 2 as well, at the same time as the first chapter. Chapter uploads will not be this fast though. I'm not even finished with the rewrite yet after all. I should pace them out. 

Camelot owns Golden Sun.

* * *

It had been three years since the day that Isaac had almost died due to his mystery illness. Ever since, Isaac had remained a happy and healthy boy. So healthy, in fact, not a single ailment had befallen him ever since. Dora and Kyle often marvelled at the fact that Isaac had not even managed to catch the slightest cold. He had even passed last year's outbreak of the Vale Flu unscathed. 

Though Isaac was older now, at 9 years old, he still retained his childhood habit of dragging around his beloved toy rabbit. The blue rabbit was thoroughly dirt stained and its constant love had led to the near loss of one ear. Isaac paid no heed to Weed's damaged condition however. Dora went on about how she wanted to give the toy a quick wash in the river, but Isaac wasn't so keen on it because he was worried it would make Weed smell strange. He liked its familiar smell. Dora had given up in the end.

Today, as usual, Vale was a place of tranquility. A bird would occasionally wing its way through the sky over the village and let out a cry, but other than that, it was quiet. People were going about their daily activities, talking to others and working, not having any idea that soon, their peace would be broken.

Everyone felt safe in a place like Vale, locked away in the secretive village cradled beneath the mountains. They were confident in their belief that nobody outside of Vale knew their secret, that they had Psynergy. This special power was kept a secret and it had always been that way. Everybody in the village was an Adept, someone who used the power of Psynergy.

With their secret safe, the Adepts believed that nobody would ever even come to attack Vale. They would shortly realise that they were very wrong. But for the moment, the peace was allowed to remain.

Felix was currently on a quest around Vale, an arduous, demanding task which required that he find three certain things. He knew what he was looking for, he just simply did not know where they were, and thus he hurried through the village, searching every place he found in his desperate search.

Vale was a large village full of sloping hills with a river that neatly cut through the middle. It was actually quite easy to hide in a place like this. The few places where Felix knew he would not find them were the Vale Cave or Aleph Mountain. The majestic purple mountain to the north of Vale was a forbidden area, said to be full of pits and traps where people could fall and die. Nobody knew for sure, but nobody wished to find out either.

Felix sighed as he walked past a hedge, looking around in mild exasperation. He had to remind himself that this was only a game, not a chore, he was supposed to enjoy it. But being the seeker in a game of hide and seek wasn't quite his idea of fun.

The brunet stopped still as a rustle reached his ears. He slowly turned around and carefully scanned the area in front of him. There was nobody there, so who could have made that rustling? Felix cautiously walked past a bush, his brown eyes darting around in the hope he might find one of his targets hiding from him.

Suddenly, a burst of laughter erupted from the bush. Felix stopped still and turned to look at the bush with a knowing smirk on his face. Of all the people who could play hide and seek, Jenna had to be the worst at it. She always gave her location away somehow. Without hesitiation, he dived into the bush and caught her, laughing hysterically.

Jenna grinned sheepishly as she knew she was caught. "Aww... I gave myself away again, didn't I?"

"Come on, help me find Isaac and Garet," Felix said, taking her hand and helping her out of the bush. The siblings hurried off to find their hiding friends. They headed south through the village on their desperate search.

Garet was not one of the most innovative or brightest people in Vale. It was clear enough by the simple hiding place that he had chosen. At the moment, he was hiding behind an old shed, though he would be in clear view of anyone who happened to be walking to the shed from the back. As it was, Felix and Jenna easily found him.

"Aw, man." Garet looked disappointed as Jenna clamped a hand down on his shoulder and grinned. "You found me."

"That really wasn't the best hiding place," Felix remarked, raising an eyebrow.

"Ah, shut up," Garet muttered, getting to his feet. "Haven't found Isaac, yet?"

"Nope," Jenna replied, shaking her head. "We should go and find him now."

The trio quickly headed off, continuing to go south, in their pursuit of Isaac as he hid from them.

Isaac was currently sitting in a dark tunnel, not caring if he got dirty, as he kneeled on the dirty soil and peeked out the opening of the tunnel. A smug grin was plastered on his face. Isaac felt very pleased with himself because of the hiding place he had found. He pushed back the vines hanging over the opening and stuck his head out, looking at the scene in front of him.

He had found this place completely by accident. Isaac had chosen to run down to the plaza to hide and his frantic search for a hiding place took him toward the cliff wall. Here, he had discovered some vines hanging on the wall. The curious boy had reached out and swept back the vines, amazed to find a hole on the other side. Without hesitation, he had dived into the tunnel to explore. Unfortunately, all that lay at the end of this tunnel was an empty chest. Nevertheless, Isaac was happy with his hiding place.

Isaac gazed out at the plaza, watching the people walk back and forth as they chatted to each other. None of them were remotely aware of being watched by a boy hiding in a tunnel. Isaac's gaze shifted to the Psynergy stone that sat at the centre of the plaza. The large, indigo stone sparkled brightly as the sun shone on it. Isaac was always entranced by it as it sparkled so vividly. He liked to go up to it and touch its smooth surface. It was always cold to the touch and its edges were smooth, not jagged at all. Isaac honestly couldn't imagine Vale being without it.

A long while had passed and Isaac was beginning to feel bored, even of the game, but he urged himself to hold out a little longer. Eventually, he saw Felix, Jenna and Garet rush into the plaza on their mad search for him. Isaac grinned in amusement as he watched them search frantically around the plaza, even entering the buildings to look for him. They honestly had no idea he was here. A small part of him wanted to go up and tell them where he was, but he decided it would be more fun to wait for them to give up. Eventually, his three friends came to a stop in the middle of the plaza, looking defeated.

"I honestly think Isaac vanished off the face of Weyard!" Garet exclaimed, running a hand through his thick brush of red hair. "Where else could he have gone?"

"Don't be silly, Garet," Jenna sneered. "People don't just vanish."

"I know that," Garet muttered, looking away in annoyance. "I was just saying it... don't mean I believe it or anything..."

"I guess we give up now," Felix said tiredly, feeling quite sick and tired of this repetitive game of searching endlessly for someone who refused to be found. "Shall we?"

"Is there anywhere we haven't looked yet?" Jenna asked thoughtfully, racking her brains as she tried to think of the possibilities.

"Well... there's Aleph Mountain, and there's also the Vale Cave," Felix said slowly, a look of doubt on his face. His eyes widened and he turned, looking up north. "But surely Isaac wouldn't have gone to either of those places."

Isaac decided it would be a good time to show himself now. He didn't need his friends thinking that he was in mortal peril. He ran out of the tunnel, shouting to alert them. "I'm here!"

Jenna squealed and flung herself upon Isaac happily. Isaac almost fell over fron the force of her hug and he had to brace himself. Felix quietly sighed in relief. He knew Isaac couldn't have been in such places. Garet approached Isaac, bursting to ask him where he had been hiding all this time.

"We were worried!" Jenna cried out, holding Isaac in a chokehold as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Isaac feebly tried to escape her frantic hold, a desperate look in his blue eyes.

"So, tell us where you were hiding," Felix said, as he managed to pry his sister off Isaac.

"Yeah! Tell us!" Garet exclaimed in excitement. "It must be a really awesome hiding place!"

Isaac grinned and turned around, beckoning at them to follow him. They curiously followed him to the vines hanging on the cliff wall. Isaac reached down and swept the vines aside to reveal the tunnel entrance. Felix, Jenna and Garet gasped in amazement. None of them had any idea that such a tunnel existed in Vale.

"Wow, amazing!" Jenna gasped, eyes widening. "You picked a really good place to hide, Isaac."

"So, is there anything in here?" Garet asked as he wasted no time in heading into the tunnel.

"Nothing much," Isaac called after him as he followed Garet into the tunnel. Felix and Jenna also followed them into the tunnel and they clambered to the very back where the chest sat in all its empty glory. They sat down on the soft earth and relaxed after their enduring game, taking time out to talk.

"It's kind of spooky, isn't it?" Garet said. "Hmm..."

"Hey, Isaac, you left your rabbit in here," Jenna said, picking up the dirty toy. "Sheesh, no wonder it's so dirty if you leave it lying around all the time."

"Mom wants to wash that thing, but I like its smell," Isaac said. "I don't care if Weed gets dirty."

"Look, a spider," Felix said, holding out his hand. spider crawled across his palm, looking fiendish in all its eight legged glory. Jenna recoiled at the sight and made a grimaced expression. "Do you want to hold it, Jenna?"

"No!" Jenna squealed, cringing. "Get it away from me!"

"My mom's scared of spiders too." Isaac grinned. "She saw one the other day, a really big one, crawling on the wall and she made Dad get rid of it."

"Hey, guys, I thought of something," Garet said suddenly. "What if this place is actually... the resting place of a long dead Adept?"

"Oh, great, another one of Garet's stories," Felix said wearily, leaning against the wall. "Go on then, tell us."

"Really?" Isaac said in a hushed voice, leaning forward in interest.

"A long, long time ago, there was a very scary person, he was an Adept," Garet said in an eerie voice. "But he was a bad Adept. He was a Mars Adept and every day, he would search for a child."

"A child? How old?" Isaac asked curiously.

"Oh, about our age," Garet said in an offhand manner. Jenna shivered though she tried to hide the action as she did so. "Anyway, he would find the child he wanted and he would creep up to them, grab them and drag them away!"

"Wouldn't anyone hear the child cry out?" Jenna asked.

"He... er... had his other hand over their mouth," Garet said, shooting a glare at her. He didn't appreciate people poking holes in his stories.

"I suppose nobody saw him either," Felix said, rolling his eyes.

"Nope," Garet said with a big smile. "He would drag the child to his house, put them in a pot and then boil them!"

"Whoah!" Isaac exclaimed. "And... they buried him here?"

"He died here," Garet said matter-of-factly. Felix let out a quiet groan. "See that chest? It's empty because a snake was kept inside of it! He dragged the bodies of the children here and... erm... he opened the chest one day... because he suddenly wanted to... and the snake bit him and he died!"

"You truly are a master storyteller," Felix muttered sarcastically.

"But... wouldn't the snake die?" Jenna frowned. "Because he was hungry and stuff?"

"No, see, he had another way out of the chest!" Garet frantically tried to save himself. "There was a hole in the side... so he slid out of it and came back in to sleep at night."

"And... where are the bodies?" Isaac asked.

"They found the bodies of the children and buried them elsewhere, but... the man was left here..." Garet said. "And even now, his ghost roams the tunnel... waiting for children... to come in here... and... he traps them forever in this tunnel!"

Felix sighed again. He had no patience for Garet's attempts at scaring people. Or maybe he just didn't scare easily.

"Really?" Jenna looked around nervously.

"Awesome!" Isaac clapped his hands. "Great story, Garet!"

"But... it's true..." Garet said in a spooky voice. "In fact... he might be watching us right now. Whatever you do, don't look in the chest."

Jenna tentatively turned and looked at the empty chest. It was indeed still empty. She felt a light touch brushing the back of her neck and screamed in terror, flinging herself at Felix. Felix winced as she grabbed him in a chokehold, glaring at Garet who was grinning and looking very smug. Of course, that touch had been nothing more than Garet's attempt to scare her. Isaac laughed hysterically, keeling over from the force of his laughter.

As the people walked around in the plaza, they were unaware they were being watched. This time, it was not by a boy hiding in a tunnel, but several pairs of eyes peered at them from outside the village, hidden by the vegetation that grew around Vale. The eyes were all red and glaring, belonging to a group of similar people.

These people were all alike in that they did not look like the people of Vale or anywhere else on Weyard. They were all covered in scales and their ears were pointed, breaking off into two right at the very tips. Each person wore formidable looking armor and helmets, holding deadly weapons aloft.

The leader was a blue-skinned man, smiling in anticipation as he prepared to launch his plan. It was simple enough, they would simply take a few people. Vale had just the right kind of people that they needed. For ease of this mission, they would take young ones. The empire they dreamed of would take a while to build after all and those children could grow up learning how to build for the glory of their city.

"This should be easy," a greenish skinned man with white hair chuckled, clenching his fists. "Those people look puny and weak."

"Hurry up and give us the word," a blonde woman said, tutting impatiently as she glanced at the leader's back. "Are we going to do this or not?"

"Patience," said the blue man, chuckling to himself. "We cannot just rush in blindly. But... I think it would be a good idea to go in now. They aren't even prepared for our attack. So... attack!"

In a swift movement, the scaled warriors streamed into the village, the gate roughly pushed aside. Valeans looked up in consternation, some of them crying out in panic as they saw the fearsome people bearing down upon them. In no time at all, the warriors were searching every inch of Vale as they sought out their targets.

"Remember, we're taking children," a man barked out, holding a boy in his hands. "Adept children. That's the plan!"

"This is so easy!" A woman laughed menacingly as a Valean ran at her. In a second, she had knocked him down flat and ran to seize a young girl, grinning fiendishly.

Inside the tunnel, the four Adepts sitting in there heard the commotion. They looked at each other nervously, realising that something was not right out there. When had it ever been so noisy in Vale? People were screaming and shouting.

"I wonder what it is," Isaac whispered fearfully.

"I'm scared," Garet said, his eyes wide. "Why are people screaming?"

"I'm going to go and check it out," Jenna said impulsively, clutching Weed to her chest as she hurried to the other end of the tunnel.

"No, Jenna, get back!" Felix protested. "It might not be safe out there!"

"Maybe someone's just having an argument," Garet suggested nervously, though he didn't seem to believe his own words.

"I'll be careful," Jenna said, looking back over her shoulder. "I just want to see what's going on." Before anybody could stop her, she had disappeared through the vines.

"Darn it, Jenna," Felix hissed, feeling worried. The last thing he needed was his little sister throwing herself into danger. "This doesn't seem to be good at all."

"What if the food at the inn was so bad, the guests complained?" Garet suggested. "Maybe they all rioted."

"I don't think so," Felix said quietly, creeping to the entrance of the tunnel. He peered through the vines, trying to see what was going on. All he could see were people running around. He couldn't see Jenna in the crowd.

"Jenna took Weed," Isaac whispered, hugging his legs to his chest. "I really want Weed right now because I'm so scared."

"Hey, chill, Isaac," Garet said, trying to comfort him. "It will be over soon. We're here with you, don't be scared. I'm sure Jenna will look after Weed too."

"It's so scary..." Isaac muttered. "Why is everyone screaming?"

"People are running around too," Felix said. "But it's hard to see anything properly and I can't even see Jenna. She didn't run off, did she?"

"Running?" Garet said. "Maybe it's a fire."

"Yeah, maybe that's it," Isaac said. "They are hard to put out if they go out of control, aren't they?"

Felix frowned. It was clear to him that this was much more than a fire, but if Isaac and Garet wanted to console themselves with the idea, he wasn't going to put a damper on it. He caught sight of a tall person with pointed ears and unmistakably crimson eyes, freezing to the spot. Just what was that person? The person's gaze swung toward him and Felix dived out of sight, letting the vines fall back. His heart hammered against his ribcage.

Jenna was out there, with those scary people, while the people of Vale were running and screaming. This was not good.

Jenna frantically hurried through the hordes of people, disorientated by the crowd of running people. They were panicking, confused, and she didn't understand why. She caught sight of several people with scales and crimson eyes, feeling terrified as she saw several of them. They clearly were not ordinary people. Something terrible was happening here. Jenna swallowed a lump in her throat and backed away, wishing now that she had stayed in the tunnel.

"Mom?" Jenna screamed, dodging a fleeing man, and whimpering as she clutched the toy rabbit tightly to her chest, barely aware she still had it with her. "Dad?" Jenna shivered, feeling cold, and decided to run. She didn't get far before she was knocked aside and fell down, hitting the ground hard. Jenna winced, feeling pained from the impact.

A tall woman stepped up to her and Jenna nervously looked up into a pair of crimson eyes. The woman smirked, displaying a row of white teeth. Jenna shivered and scrambled away from her.

"Oh, another child," the woman said, still smirking as she reached out to grab Jenna. "You will do just fine too." Jenna gasped as she was roughly yanked to her feet and gazed at the woman, quivering in terror.

"Come along," the woman snapped, yanking Jenna again and trying to pull her from her spot. The movement caused Jenna to drop the toy rabbit. Jenna automatically cried out and tried to reach for it.

"Aww, do you want the cute little rabbit?" The woman sneered as she spoke with a patronising tone. Jenna looked back at her and tentatively nodded. The woman let out a bitter laugh. "Well, tough!" With a swift movement, she waved her hand and a cascade of glowing flames washed over the rabbit, reducing it to a pile of ashes.

"No, Weed!" Jenna shouted, feeling horrified as she stared at the ash pile. Isaac was definitely not going to be happy when he saw what had happened to his favorite toy. He never went anywhere without it.

"Come on, let's go!" The woman shouted, forcefully dragging her toward the gate. Jenna saw where she was being taken and started screaming and attempting to break free, though the woman's strong hold held her fast.

"Mom! Dad!" Jenna shrieked at the top of her voice. "Felix! Somebody, please help me!" In a desperate effort, she sank her teeth into the woman's arm. The woman released her grip and cried out in pain. Jenna tried to run for it, but the woman was quicker and grabbed her again, slapping her soundly around the face. A red mark appeared where she had been struck and she began to cry softly, while she was pulled toward the gate.

The other warriors were already clustering around the gate, holding hysterical children they planned to remove from Vale. Without hesitation, the warriors swarmed out of the village, taking the children with them, and Vale was quiet once more. It was far quieter than it should have been, now that several children had gone in the blink of an eye.

"It's gone quiet again," Isaac whispered, his face pale. "But... what happened?"

"Hey, Felix, you're shaking..." Garet approached him. "What is it?"

"I heard her," Felix whispered. "I heard her screaming... but all those people... I knew I couldn't do anything..."

"Jenna?" Garet clenched his teeth. "You heard Jenna screaming?"

"What? What happened to Jenna?" Isaac cried out frantically, scrambling over to them.

"She was screaming for help..." Felix shook his head, his eyes wide and staring. "She was screaming for Mom... Dad... me... something's happened to her!"

The trio hurried out of the tunnel, stopping and staring as the people of Vale clustered together in the plaza. There was something different about the atmosphere. While normally everyone was contented and at peace, right now, they seemed... like they were in mourning. Hardly anyone spoke in the stifling silence.

"A terrible tragedy took place today," the Mayor of Vale said in an aggrieved voice, looking around with sad eyes. He could see the change that had taken over everyone and he too felt the same thing.

"I am sure that the children will be kept alive," the Great Healer said in an effort to keep up everyone's hopes. "They may have had a reason for taking them. We can only hope that is the case."

"But what about us?" Dora said shakily, her eyes glazed over in bleak misery. "Our own kin have been taken from us! Our precious children... nothing... nothing can replace something like your own child!"

"Two of my children have been taken from me," Mrs Jerra sobbed wretchedly as she thought of Garet and Kay, cradling her young son in her arms. "Aaron... he's going to grow up without his brother and sister..."

"Why did they do this?" Mr Jerra demanded angrily. "This is a sin! Taking our flesh and blood from us! It should have been us they took, not those sweet, innocent children!"

"What is this?" Kyle reached down and picked up the fragments of a charred toy. Isaac quietly gasped as he recognised Weed, even from a distance. "No...! This is...! It's Isaac's toy rabbit!" Dora broke into anguished wails as she realised that it truly was Isaac's precious toy.

"My children, my own children, both of them gone?" Felix's mother cried in anguish. "This is just too cruel!" She sagged against her quiet, stoic husband as she wept.

"They haven't seen us yet," Felix said. "Let's go tell them we're okay."

"I can't believe it... is Kay really... gone?" Garet whispered, eyes wide in shock.

"They burned Weed," Isaac said, looking aggrieved. A flash of realisation passed over his face. "Hold on... Jenna had Weed!"

"No..." Felix felt as if he had been punched in the gut. Jenna really was... gone...

"Mom! Dad!" Isaac screamed, unable to contain himself any longer as he looked at his parents. He surged forward, his shouts catching the attention of the adults. Dora cried out in joy and pulled Isaac into a tight hug.

"Isaac, thank goodness!" Kyle cried out, hugging him as well, dropping the burned rabbit. "But if you're safe, how did your toy...?"

"Jenna had it," Isaac said bleakly. "Jenna's gone, isn't she?"

"Felix!" Felix's mother cried out as she hugged him tightly. "You're safe then! Is Jenna safe too?"

"No... she isn't," Felix said regretfully. "She got taken."

"I thought you were with her," his father said. "How come she got taken when you didn't?"

Felix fell silent, burying his face in his mother's chest. He couldn't answer that question. He knew fully well it was his fault. Felix understood he had failed to protect his sister and now she was gone.

"Mom, Dad, is Kay really gone?" Garet looked up in consternation as his relieved parents hugged him. Aaron squealed happily and flung his small arms around his older brother's neck, clinging to him.

"I'm sorry, Garet, but it seems that she was taken," Mrs Jerra said sadly.

"No way..." Garet whispered as his grandmother came over to hug him, then the Mayor followed suit, quite glad his favorite grandchild was safe. "Kay can't be gone... who's going to water her flowers?"

Though some of their precious children had been safe after all, it did nothing to dislodge the blanket of mourning that had fallen over Vale. Nobody could sleep that night as they mourned for the children snatched away by the red-eyed warriors that came out of nowhere.

A long way away from home, Jenna wept for the home she'd been stolen from, taking little comfort in being surrounded by her fellow Valeans. All she wanted was to be back in Vale with her parents, brother and best friends.

Isaac took a long time to fall asleep that night, from worry and sadness for Jenna's loss, and partly for losing the favorite toy he'd had his whole life. When he did fall asleep, he dreamed of the girl he'd seen three years before. She smiled down at him.

"I told you I would be here for you, and I'll always make sure you're safe." She embraced him before flying away and disappearing into the azure sky.


	3. Chapter 3

**Vision**

* * *

And we're still in the past. I added some more content between the past and the present that wasn't in the original fic. Thought it would be good to fill up the gap between the years a little more. 

Camelot owns Golden Sun.

* * *

Felix stared glumly at his bowl of porridge, finding the white mess of lumps quite unappetising to look at. Occasionally, he would lift the spoon in a half-hearted manner and swirl it around in the bowl, but he couldn't bring himself to eat. 

"What's the matter?" His mother walked up to him and stroked his hair. Her voice sounded terse and worried. "Don't you like porridge anymore?"

"I can't eat," Felix muttered thickly, looking up into his mother's brown eyes. "I'm not hungry..."

"Look, dear, we're all very upset about what's happened and we're worried about Jenna," his mother said cautiously, a flash of sadness passing through her eyes as she spoke her daughter's name. It had been two days since she was taken and the pain wasn't getting any easier to bear. "But you can't starve yourself."

"But..." Felix broke off and sighed. He couldn't bring himself to say what he really felt in front of his mother. She was hurting enough without him making it worse already. He forced a smile and shoved a spoonful of porridge into his mouth, slowly chewing on it. His mother flashed back a vague smile at him before getting up and walking away.

It was his fault. He hadn't said it, but he was sure that was what they were thinking. After he had told his parents exactly what happened... how he hadn't stopped Jenna from leaving the hiding place... he was sure they had privately blamed him. If Jenna had stayed there... she wouldn't have been taken...

Felix slowly ate the porridge, wondering if Jenna was even getting anything to eat right now. He couldn't stand thinking of her starving and miserable, out there in a lonely place away from home.

* * *

Garet quietly sat at the table, munching on his toast, listening as his father and grandfather talked to each other. Though they spoke in hushed tones, he could still make out what they were saying. 

"So, those people you sent to search, did they find anything?" Garet's father anxiously asked, watching the Mayor carefully. He was desperate to know if there were any leads on his oldest child yet.

"They came back, saying all they had heard were eyewitness reports," the Mayor replied sadly, shaking his head. "Those barbarians mostly stayed out of the towns, but people still saw them. But the search party never found them. Wherever they are, they must be a long way away now."

"Those people..." Garet's father broke off, shuddering as he remembered the pointed ears, the gleaming red eyes and those shining scales. "They couldn't possibly have been from anywhere nearby. Just who were they?"

"Nobody knows," replied the Mayor, sighing heavily. "I'm sure we will find Kay and the others one day, but for the moment, we don't even have the strength to match them. They were fierce, brutal warriors."

Garet swallowed the last piece of his toast, a faraway look in his eyes as he imagined being a warrior. He could strike down his foes with a single blow. Maybe find those warriors and save everyone. His eyes gleamed in anticipation as he thought about it. Isaac and Felix might want to be warriors as well. Someday, they could all train and then they would go after those people.

His thought trail was broken off as Aaron walked into the room, eyes wide and curious. Garet looked down at his four-year-old brother as he walked over to their father and tugged on his trouser leg, distracting him from his conversation.

"Daddy," Aaron said in earnest, giving him a serious stare. "Where is Kay?"

Garet sighed and looked away, shaking his head. Aaron still didn't understand, being as young as he was. As their father tried to gently break it to him for what was not the first time, Garet excused himself and left the house. He walked around the back to find his mother sadly gazing at the flowerbed in the garden.

The flowers had all been trampled underfoot as the warriors stormed Vale. Garet looked at the ruined flowers, swallowing a lump as he remembered how often he had destroyed the flowers himself and upset his older sister.

"Mom?" Garet said, looking at her. "Are you sad about the flowers?"

Garet's mother slowly looked at him, a distant expression on her face. "No... I just think... it's horribly ironic that her flowers would be destroyed, and on the same day, she's taken away. Poor Kay... out there... I just can't help but wonder what's happening to her..." A tear trickled down her face.

"I'm sure Kay's alright," Garet said hopefully, taking her hand. "She'll be fine, Mom. We'll see her again someday."

* * *

Isaac sat on the windowsill, staring through the clear glass and looking outside. Vale was so quiet. It seemed even more quiet than usual, and it disturbed him. He wanted everything back to normal but he understood that things might never get back to normal. Too much had changed. 

Jenna... Kay... so many other children, taken away from Vale. Everyone had been hit hard by the tragedy, they were suffering from the loss and the pain of not knowing what was happening to them. Isaac bit his lip, thinking of Jenna. He hated not knowing if she was okay.

"Isaac, are you alright?" Dora asked, approaching her son and gently putting an arm around him. She gently kissed the top of his head, giving him a mildly concerned look. "You're quite upset about your friends being taken away, aren't you?"

"I would have been taken as well, wouldn't I?" Isaac murmured, pressing his nose against the cold glass. "If Felix, Garet and I hadn't remained hidden, we would all have been taken along with Jenna. Jenna must be so lonely without us."

"You know we like to call you our little miracle, don't we?" Dora smiled faintly, stroking his spiky head of hair. "A miracle happened again, it prevented you from being taken away from us again."

"Yeah..." Isaac had been told the story of his near death experience when he was six years old and he understood what his mother was saying. He turned around and his wide, blue eyes fixed on her. "But why couldn't Jenna be protected?"

"I don't know," Dora said honestly, wrapping her arms around him tightly. "But Garet and Felix are alright too. They stayed with you and didn't get taken. The three of you were very lucky."

Isaac slowly nodded, a thought occuring to him. Maybe there was a reason the three of them had escaped capture. A slow smile spread across his face. He needed to talk to Garet and Felix about it sometime, because he had a very good idea of what it was.

* * *

Jenna had been awoken at the crack of dawn by a sharp kick in the side. She groaned and struggled to get up on her knees, her bleary gaze sweeping around to see two warriors forcibly waking up the other children. A boy started crying and Jenna winced as she saw him be sharply slapped around the face. 

Her back was aching from having slept all night on the hard, cold ground. Sleeping out in the open was not easy by any means, but after the enduring travelling all day, she was always so exhausted that she fell asleep quickly. The only source of warmth through the cold night was a burning campfire that the night watch would keep lit.

Jenna was yanked to her feet and almost fell over, her legs threatening to buckle under her. She walked forward awkwardly, looking down at her hands which were bound together with chains wrapped around the wrists. They were tightly secured and despite her best efforts, she couldn't undo them.

"We are nearly at the ship," the leader of the group of warriors said, grinning at his comrades. "By the afternoon, we should be there and we'll set sail."

Jenna numbly walked along, surrounded by her fellow captives. They were actually going to be sailing across the sea. At the end of the day, she would just be even further away from home. The back of her eyes stung with unshed tears as she thought of her family back home, and Isaac and Garet.

Why had she even gone out of the tunnel? She should have stayed with them... Jenna broke off her thoughts and shook her head. It was futile to dwell on it, it wouldn't change anything. Her stomach rumbled loudly and she gritted her teeth, trying to ignore the gnawing hunger deep inside her.

* * *

The blue-haired girl ran laughing down the street, ducking through a side street and exiting to another street. She stopped to rest against a wall, catching her breath and laughing in exhilaration. Her pristine white dress was getting slightly dirty from her play, but she paid it no heed. 

A woman walked past then stopped and turned around, staring at her in surprise. "Princess Mia, is that you? Where are your guards?"

Mia looked up at the woman and smiled secretively, raising a finger to her lips. Yet again, the nine-year-old had outwitted her guards and given them the slip. She liked to spend some time alone, she really didn't want a bunch of people following her around all the time. The woman tutted, but smiled back before walking away.

The young princess happily pushed herself off the wall and scampered across the street, spinning around in excitement. She loved having time to herself outside within the grand walls of the city. Imil was truly the best place to be, a beautiful city with a large population, fine houses and a kingdom that ruled over the people with justice and care.

Mia was the Crown Princess, being the only child of the current King of Imil. Her mother had died when she was still very young and she hadn't had time to give Mia a sibling. Though she didn't have a mother, Mia was never lonely and she'd had a happy childhood so far, looked after and nurtured by the people in the castle.

She heard people calling for her and wasted no time in disappearing through another alleyway, approaching the castle wall. Mia knew better than to leave Imil itself but she decided to go up to the gate anyway and look outside. The guards posted at the gate would never let her leave either, but there was nothing wrong with taking a look.

Mia was just walking along the street by one of the walls that overlooked the city when she heard a low growling from above. She froze and slowly looked up, seeing a large paw just coming over the top of the wall. Mia gasped as she realised what it was. The head that reared up and snapped its jaws confirmed her worst fears.

Occasionally, the Maulers that roamed around outside would try to enter the city. They could never break through the strong gates but occasionally one would try to breach the walls. Very rarely did they manage to climb up, but some determined Maulers managed to. This was one of them.

Mia cried out as the Mauler sailed over the wall. Someone cried out as they spotted the Mauler and ran off to go and alert the soldiers to come and deal with the rogue maulers. Even as people started running, Mia was frozen to the spot in fear, her small body trembling. The Mauler's golden eyes swung toward her and it growled again.

"Princess Mia! Look out!"

The shout caused Mia to jolt out of her reverie and she took a step back, preparing to turn and run. But the Mauler was quicker, lunging at her in one swift movement. Mia screamed as its claws raked across her chest, the full force of the paw sending her flying off her feet. She crashed into the wall of a building and slid to the ground, feeling dazed. Mia slowly looked down in horror at the blood that covered her chest, everything around her fading to a blur. She barely heard the shouts of the soldiers as she passed out.

Mia was sitting on a soft, white surface that she could better have described as a cloud that stretched out for her for miles around. She looked up at the clear blue sky with a content smile, feeling safe and happy here. This place was familiar, she knew she had been here before.

A familiar figure descended in front of her, golden wings flapping from his back as he drifted down in front of her. Mia grinned as she looked at him, gazing into his kind blue eyes. His hair was dirty blond, sticking up in spiked tufts, and he wore blue garments.

"It's you!" Mia cried out, smiling as she reached out for him.

"In trouble again, aren't you?" The winged teenager smiled back as he knelt in front of her. A gentle golden aura pulsed around him and Mia was surrounded by the same light as she clasped him, hugging him tightly. His arms wrapped around her in a gentle embrace and then she fell asleep.

Mia awoke to a crowd of people standing around her, looking at her in concern.

"Princess Mia, are you alright?"

"I swear she was attacked by the Mauler! And I saw blood..."

"But there isn't any blood..."

"Speak to us, Princess, are you feeling okay?"

Mia looked down and her eyes widened in shock. She was feeling no pain and the spreading stain of blood was now gone without a trace. There weren't even any marks where the Mauler had raked her. She looked up with a smile and jumped to her feet. "I'm okay!"

The princess was swiftly escorted back to the palace, where her father was immediately there to greet her, crushing her in a tight hug.

"Daddy!" Mia cried out, hugging him back. "I saw one of those scary bears!"

"You shouldn't have gone out without your guards," the King said, with mock sternness. Mia understood he wasn't cross at her and she just smiled, nodding obediently. "You could have been killed by that scary bear."

"I know," Mia said, her eyes wide. "I'm sorry."

"Ahh, just be more careful in future," the King advised her, placing her on the floor. "You are all I have left of your mother, you know."

"Uh huh," Mia nodded. "Do I look like Mommy?"

"Very much," the King replied, stroking her hair. "Come on, I'll take you to your servants. Your dress is quite dirty. You must be tired from your adventure."

"Nope," Mia said, shaking her head as she followed him through the large palace halls. "I don't feel tired at all!"

"Mia," a boy called out, approaching her. The King shot him a warning stare and he caught himself. "I mean, Princess Mia, are you okay?"

"Alex!" Mia exclaimed, rushing over to hug him. Alex stumbled back a step, catching himself and standing still as she hugged him. He would have hugged her back before, but he was beginning to understand that the older he got, the more mindful he had to be of etiquette and how he behaved toward royalty. "Did you hear about my adventure?"

"Yes, I did," Alex answered, as Mia stepped back and grinned at him. "I do hope you are going to be more careful. I do not want you to get hurt."

"You should come with me next time," Mia said, grinning impishly.

"I sincerely hope there won't be a next time," the King spoke, walking up and placing his hands on her shoulders. Mia let out a nervous giggle and looked down, her eyes glinting secretively.

"Anyway, it seems you are busy, so I will take my leave," Alex said, bobbing down in an awkward curtsey before walking away.

"Why does Alex act so different?" Mia pouted. "I want him to stay my best friend who plays with me and stuff. I liked that."

"He is still your best friend," the King said gently. "But you are a Princess. He must be mindful of that and treat you with respect." He watched the retreating twelve-year-old, feeling quite impressed that Alex had adapted so fast. He had come a long way from that orphaned kid left out on the street. His parents had died, leaving him without any relatives, and he had been taken into the palace as a servant.

Alex and Mia had grew up together during their childhood and they had a steadfast bond. The King understood how close they were and he was quite sure that when it was time to choose the Princess a consort, though that would be a good few years from now, Alex would be one of their first choices.

"Alright, let's go find your servants," the King said finally, leading his exuberant daughter away.


	4. Chapter 4

**Vision**

* * *

One beef I had with the previous version is that it really seemed like Jenna was alone. Even though there were other people from Vale taken... so Kay gets to appear sometimes. Not that much though, so Kay fans shouldn't get excited. There are fans? 

Camelot owns Golden Sun.

* * *

Jenna sat in the corner of the containment cell, resting on a piece of sacking. It was noisy in here and so dark that she could barely see anyone else. A faint, unpleasant smell hung over the room where the children slept. Jenna was used to the smell, the noise and the cold now. 

She hadn't seen Vale in over a year now. The whole time she had been here in Prox. A year before, Prox had been a miserable, impoverished town with rundown buildings and people who were dying of disease and hunger. Prox had been an utterly filthy place, a home to disease and bad luck. This town was already starting to change, transforming into a city, thanks to the captives the warriors had taken.

What the fiendish warriors had done, plundering many towns and capturing children like her, it had all been to build Prox and turn it into a glorious empire. They wanted Adept children to help them build it into a city, repairing buildings and making them even bigger. The riches and the food came from other towns that the Proxians had robbed. Effectively, they had saved Prox, but at the cost of others, but the work was not yet done. Prox still had a long way to go.

Jenna stretched her aching limbs, exhausted from a hard day's work, and curled up on the sacking, struggling to keep warm. She could feel several sore places on her body where she had new bruises. Her eyes closed shut and she tried to think of Vale, of everybody back home.

Were they waiting for her to come back home? Jenna wondered if she would ever get to. She felt a sad pang as it occurred to her that maybe she never would. Wasn't anyone even going to come and save her? Jenna let out a loud sniffle, upset by the thought that nobody was going to come. It had been a whole year already and nobody had ever come to Prox, to bring them back...

"Jenna, are you okay?" A hand touched her shoulder. Jenna raised her head, faintly able to make out the silhouette of Kay. "Are you crying?"

"No," Jenna said stubbornly, shaking her head. She didn't want to cry anymore, she knew she was stronger than that. "I just thought... maybe they will never come to save us. Hasn't it been a year already?"

"They have no idea where we are," Kay said, kneeling on her patch of sacking and sadly picking at a stray thread that stuck out of it. "But I'm sure someone will come for us someday. We just have to wait."

"I miss everyone so much," Jenna whispered, clenching a fist tightly. "I want to see Mom and Dad again. I want to play with Felix, Isaac and Garet. I want to have a proper meal and not have to work so hard anymore."

"We have to keep going," Kay said quietly, curling up on her sacking while still facing Jenna. "Someday, I know we can go back home. Maybe when the work is done on Prox... that's all we came for, isn't it?"

Jenna remained silent, thinking about it. They all hoped that once they had finished going through all this hard labour, slavedriven by those Proxian thugs, and Prox was built into the empire they dreamed of, then they would be sent back home. Surely they would do that? But it still didn't seem that likely.

Jenna shut her weary eyes and relaxed, letting herself drift off into a disturbed sleep. The times when she dreamed were the best during her ordeal in Prox. She could sleep off her weariness and forget about her suffering in Prox as she returned to Vale and was with everybody again. More often than not, her dreams were disturbing and frightening, rather than being happy and comforting, but still she looked forward to the night.

At least she could be back safe and sound in Vale, even if it wasn't real, getting to snatch one of her mother's freshly baked cookies off the plate, stuffing it into her mouth while it was still warm and relishing its sweet taste, or running around Vale, laughing happily as she played with her friends. Garet would be annoying her as usual, Isaac would be watching them in amusement and Felix would be looking serious all the time.

That was how one of her dreams that night started, she was chatting excitedly to the three of them in Vale on a warm and sunny day, everything was peaceful and there was nothing to worry about. It was just sheer bliss.

Suddenly, thunder rumbled in the distance and dark clouds began to roll across the sky. Jenna cried out as Isaac, Garet and Felix began running from her. She frantically gave chase as rain pelted down on her and soaked her clothes. Somehow, she ended up in her house, safe from the crashing lightning.

Jenna saw her mother standing in the kitchen, a wide, disoriented look in her eyes. Jenna immediately ran to her and flung her arms around her waist. "Mom!" Jenna cried out. "The storm is scaring me!"

"I've lost something," her mother said distractedly, ignoring the child hugging her around the waist. Jenna let out a shocked whimper as her mother broke free of her embrace and ran off in search of whatever it was. "Where is it? I can't find it!"

"Mom!" Jenna yelled, but she had disappeared into the darkness. Strong arms wrapped around her and lifted her off her feet. Jenna looked up and saw her father. For a moment, she felt safe and warm in his embrace, but then he dropped her again, outside this time. Jenna stared at a pile of bricks, feeling utterly confused.

"Go on," her father said in a harsh voice, gesturing at the pile of bricks. "I want you to build. Build a house."

Jenna bit her lip, glancing around. She could see Garet hard at work, carrying lumber on his back, though he seemed to be in pain and quite weary as he struggled along with the heavy weight on his back. In another direction, Isaac could be seen, struck with a whip as he stacked wood upon wood.

"But I don't want to build a house, Daddy!" Jenna cried out, turning around to look up at her father. She was sick of work, she didn't want to do it anymore, she hated having to do things that hurt her back or she got punished for if she didn't do a good enough job. "Please don't make me..."

In front of her eyes, her father started to transform. Jenna cried out as she stared up at the twenty foot tall blue rabbit that bore more than a striking resemblance to Isaac's toy rabbit. The one that had got burnt because of her. Its dark eyes bore down on her and it grinned fiendishly. Jenna screamed and turned, running away from the rabbit. Adrenaline spurred her to run as fast as she could, her brow perspiring.

The scene changed again in a blur and Jenna stopped in front of the yawning mouth of a cave. She understood that she was meant to go in, though she didn't really want to. Jenna took a deep breath and walked into the cave. It was eerily dark in here and she could hear the sound of dripping moisture in the stifling silence.

"Is anyone here?" Jenna called out, her voice echoing and bouncing off the walls around her.

"I'm over here!"

Jenna gasped as she heard the sound. It was a familiar voice that called to her in the darkness of the cave. She started running again, her feet pounding over the ground. "Where are you? It's too dark!"

"This way!"

She tried to follow the sound, but she couldn't see and she kept running into walls and spinning around crazily as she tried to find a way through the cave. Desperate tears streaked down her face as she attempted to find him inside the cave.

"Felix!" Jenna screamed. "I'm scared! It's too dark! I-" She fell over and hit the ground hard, scraping her knees. Jenna groaned and whimpered, pain shooting through her legs. "It hurts!"

"Hurry, Jenna!" Felix's voice called, sounding just as far away as it had before she had even bothered running toward the sound.

"I'm... coming...!" Jenna struggled to her feet, only to look up at a tall warrior standing in front of her. She stifled a scream as she stared up in terror at the pair of crimson eyes staring down at her.

"You're not going anywhere," the Proxian warrior said, smiling sinisterly. He advanced on her as she backed away from him.

"Help me!" Jenna screamed. "Felix, help me!"

The dream was sharply cut off as she was roughly shaken away by a Proxian. Jenna sighed and sleepily got up, blinking her eyes rapidly. It still had to be quite early in the morning. But the children getting a good night's rest was definitely not the Proxians' first priority. She knew better than to complain. The last person to do that had been beaten and gone without supper. Going to sleep late at night and rising early in the morning was just the way of live for a slave in Prox, so she simply got used to it.

The group of slaves were ushered outside in the bitter cold, their worn, tattered boots crunching in the thick layer of snow that covered the ground. They shivered in unison as the chilly air bit into them and pulled their thin coats tighter around their bodies. The warriors marched them to the centre of the town and split them up into groups. Each group was assigned a task they would have to work on for the day.

Jenna walked away with one of the smaller groups toward the inn, which was also home to the large dining hall where the Proxians would group together when they wanted to have a feast and celebrate. There had apparently been a feast last night, so it would be a messy job. She wasn't too keen on cleaning up food, but it was better than having to lift heavy things and climb walls.

Once inside, she was given a bucket of water and a cloth. Jenna got down on her knees, kneeling on the hard, gritty floor and began laboriously cleaning the wooden floor as someone rushed past her with a broom. The water was cold to the touch and she hated having to dip the cloth in. Her hand turned red from holding the cloth for so long and letting the cold water soak into the skin. The floor also made her knees hurt.

She had to do the job though, she always did. Nobody ever dared to refuse a task that they were given. They would immediately be given a swift punishment for their refusal. Jenna was afraid of being punished, having been beaten once just for knocking over a wood pile in her exhaustion, and she always strived to do the best she could so she put all her energy into washing the floor, leaving it so clean that it shone. It didn't matter if her back ached from the effort or if her hands froze, at least she wouldn't have to suffer even more pain.

* * *

Isaac got into position and tensed, gripping the hilt of the wooden sword tightly with his fists. His blue eyes locked firmly onto his target, who was watching him with a similar gaze. In an instant, Isaac was running forward with a shout, swinging the sword with all his might. 

At the same time, Garet broke into a run, charging straight at Isaac. At the last moment, Isaac swerved aside and stuck out a foot, tripping Garet up. Garet yelled and went flying, hitting the ground with a thud. The wooden sword went flying out of his hand and he moaned in frustration. Isaac smirked and turned around, looking at his fallen target.

"Isaac," Felix said sternly, walking up to him. "I thought we were practicing swordplay, not tripping each other up."

"But the point is that I managed to catch him off-guard, and look, I also disarmed him," Isaac said obstinately. "We've got years to learn how to use swords properly. I know we want to be good at it, but even if we perfected it now, we couldn't leave Vale yet."

"He's got a point," Garet groaned, getting to his feet and reclaimed his sword. "Man, those bruises really hurt where I get hit with your swords."

"Well, they are just wood," Felix said, looking at him. "Real swords cut."

"I know that!" Garet pouted, looking over as he heard giggles. He shook his head, giving his younger brother a mock glare. "Just what is so funny?"

"The way you fell," the five-year-old replied, grinning at him. "Do people really do that when they fight for real?"

"Of course not!" Garet cried out in mock horror. "And I'm going to get much better at this, I swear! Isaac, you're just playing unfairly!"

Isaac sighed and turned to look at Felix. "Do you think that I was fighting unfairly?"

"Maybe a bit," Felix said hesitantly. "But... there are people out there who will use cheats and trickery to get other people down like that. You shouldn't be like those people, Isaac."

"Okay, I'll make a better effort to fight like a proper warrior," Isaac said determinedly. "Sorry, Garet, I won't do that anymore."

"Sure," Garet said, though he still sounded a bit annoyed. He reached down to brush dirt off his scuffed trousers. "I can't wait, you know? We are going to become great warriors and leave Vale on the journey..."

"The journey to look for them," Isaac said, his eyes gleaming as he imagined the day he would come storming into the evil place where they were being held, slay the monsters and bring their friends home. "It's too bad this is going to take a few years."

"We have to spend the time we've got getting stronger so we can match those warriors," Felix said, a disturbed look in his eyes as he remembered those terrifying warriors he had seen storming through the plaza. They had clearly been strong and powerful. "Soon, we can start learning Psynergy as well."

"Learning Psynergy sounds pretty fun," Garet said, grinning in anticipation. "I'll get to use fire because I'm a Mars Adept. You two will be learning Earth Psynergy, won't you?"

"Yeah," Isaac replied. He noticed Aaron looking glumly at his feet and walked over. "Hey, what's the matter?"

"I wish I could come with you guys when you leave on your journey," Aaron said, pouting. "But I'll still be too young, won't I?"

"Yeah, of course you will," Garet said cheerfully, walking over and patting his red head of hair. "But we're going to be heroes and we'll come back with everyone else. How's that? Your big brother, a real hero."

"It's kind of hard to imagine," Aaron quipped, smiling mischeviously.

"Hey!" Garet exclaimed in annoyance. "I'll be every bit as good as Isaac and Felix when we're older! I'm still a beginner at this."

"You have to bring back our big sister," Aaron said, suddenly looking serious. "And everyone else, so that you really will be a hero, and our family will be together again. And everyone will be happy too."

"That's exactly what we're going to do," Isaac said firmly. "Everyone is waiting for us to come and save them. We're definitely going to do that."

"I have to make up for failing to protect Jenna," Felix said quietly. "We need to save them. I still feel like Jenna being taken away was my fault. I'm sure my parents still..."

"Felix, you have to stop thinking like that," Isaac said, looking at him sadly. "You did the best you could. trying to tell Jenna not to leave our hiding place. There wasn't anything else we could have done. If we'd tried to save anyone, we would only have been taken as well."

"But if Jenna hadn't left, she would still have been with us," Felix said, looking away and glancing at his weapon. He swallowed the lump in his throat as he remembered her desperate scream for help.

"Hey, come on," Garet said quickly, trying to break the mood that had fallen down over them. "Let's get some more training in. I need to get better at this, don't I?"

The trio immediately resumed their task of fighting with their wooden swords, arduously training, as Aaron excitedly watched on.

* * *

Jenna was relieved when the night fell again and she was allowed back in her cell. She sleepily stumbled over the huddled masses of exhausted children and crawled onto a vacant piece of sacking, her body aching and groaning as she settled down, blinking sleepily. As she moved around, her hand brushed over cold metal. Jenna automatically picked it up and squinted, trying to see what it was in the gloom. 

As her eyes began adjusting to the darkness, she could see that it was a decorative dagger, the hilt finely carved with intricate patterns. It seemed to be a Proxian made knife. Presumably, one of the soldiers must have dropped it when they came in here. That, or someone had stolen it without getting caught and left it here.

Jenna thoughtfully reached up and touched her hair. It was growing heavy and matted from lack of care and often being blown around by the harsh Proxian winds. The length it had become, straggling down to her waist, was not comforting in the least. She hated seeing it like this, growing all long and tangled, until she looked like some dirty ruffian. Well, being a slave, she supposed she couldn't look her best.

It wouldn't be such an easy job to do in the dark while she was tired, but Jenna just didn't care. She raised the knife and pulled her hair back with one hand, tugging it over her shoulder. Jenna squinted and with a sharp motion, she snagged the knife on her hair, sharply severing it. A heavy clump of red hair fell onto her lap. Jenna put the knife down and picked up her hair, stuffing it underneath the sacking. She also hid the knife with the hair, making sure she would remember where it was.

Jenna ran a hand through her messy, shortened hair, feeling relieved as she felt the weightlessness. Her task done, she curled up on the sacking and closed her eyes shut, willing herself to fall asleep and rest until sunrise, when they would all be woken up again and sent out to work.


	5. Chapter 5

**Vision**

* * *

Another chapter of stuff that didn't exist in the original. Some character development for certain characters who appear here and were a little neglected in the original. Well, Ivan was, I suspect. 

Camelot owns Golden Sun

* * *

Ivan walked steadily along one of the streets of Contigo, raising his face to the gentle heat that radiated against his face. He let out a contented sigh and stretched his arms, glancing around. The town was still quiet in the morning but it would not be long before the streets were bustling with people and the game stalls and vendors selling food were up. 

Ivan had lived here all twelve years of his life with his older sister and he loved his hometown. He did feel sadness at his mother and father not being there for him but his sister, Hama, had raised him well ever since their mother died of a severe infection when he was a toddler. His father had disappeared before he was even born and it seemed unlikely he would ever return, if he was even alive.

As Ivan walked around the side of a building, he spotted a familiar blonde some way off in the distance, staring up at the sky. Ivan smiled and approached her, careful not to startle her out of her trance.

"Good morning, Sheba," Ivan said as he greeted his childhood friend. Like Ivan, Sheba had grown up in Contigo but unlike him, she hadn't been born here and her origins were a mystery. One morning, the three-year-old had simply been found standing in the middle of the town, a perfectly calm expression on her face as she stood among the shocked residents.

Sheba had no memory of her past, even back then. All she had remembered was that her name was Sheba and she recalled the sensation of falling. Nobody understood what this meant. Hama had taken Sheba into the house she shared with Ivan and let her live with them. The biggest surprise had been that Sheba was also a Wind Adept, same as Ivan and Hama, and her gift was nothing to sneer at.

"I sense it," Sheba whispered, turning and focusing her emerald eyes upon Ivan's purple pair. A soft smile graced her face. "There will be change. I feel it on the wind. Some day, the tides will turn, but not yet. It is quite a way in the future."

Ivan swallowed as he realised that she could be right. Whatever she was talking about, it really could be far off in the future, but he could certainly not sense it. In fact, he had yet to unlock the power of premonition. Sheba was a year younger than him and she could already accurately predict the future.

"I've seen scary things," Sheba murmured, looking troubled. "I see the red-eyed people with the pointy ears. They don't look human. They attack again, they even kill... blood on the snow..." She trembled, her voice trailing off.

"Come on, come back home," Ivan said gently, taking her hand. "Hama's going to be making breakfast now. Don't worry about the red-eyed people. You know that they can't hurt you."

"But they are scary," Sheba said tremulously as she allowed Ivan to lead her to their house. "I see them all the time, in my dreams. I keep seeing them in my mind. They cause so much trouble and pain. Why do they do it? How can people be so cruel?"

Ivan didn't say anything as they entered the house, silently closing the door behind him. He knew that Sheba's premonitions troubled her at times, but it was hard to feel sympathy for her, when all he could do was wonder why she had such powerful premonitions despite being younger and not even having training. Maybe he felt a little jealous.

Sheba wandered away for a moment, leaving Ivan and Hama alone in the kitchen as Hama fried up a batch of pancakes for breakfast. Ivan sat down in a chair with a heavy sigh.

"Sheba's been having more premonitions," Ivan said, watching his sister standing over the oven. "She says that they are far off in the future though. Sheba always seems to be able to see things so far away."

"Sheba is very skilled," Hama said, turning around to place a fresh pancake upon a plate, her purple braid swinging behind her as she turned around. Ivan waited for her to place down his pancake in front of him before speaking again.

"But why?" Ivan asked, glumly picking up a fork. "I'm a year older and I haven't had a single premonition, not even the tiniest hint of things to come. How can she be so much more powerful than me?"

"Ivan, you have to remember that we don't even know where Sheba is from," Hama said gently as she fried another pancake. "Sheba may be different to us. She certainly is in that she's already seeing the future. I was already sixteen by the time I started to see the future."

"Yeah," Ivan sighed, sticking a chunk of pancake into his mouth and thoughtfully chewing. He swallowed and wiped his mouth. "I just can't help but compare her to myself and feel like I'm lagging."

"It must be hard for you growing up with her," Hama said sympathetically. "What with her talent growing in leaps and bounds. But, Ivan, some day you will be just as powerful as she is. It's simply a matter of waiting." She flipped the pancake out of the pan to the plate and called for Sheba.

* * *

Alex strode through the palace lawn, his feet crunching on the thin layer of snow that covered the ground. He had been granted a break for the day from his servant duties and was now taking the time to have a leisurely walk. 

"Alex!" a familiar voice called out to him. Alex came to a stop and turned around, seeing Mia running up to him across the lawn.

"Princess Mia," Alex said quickly, bowing down. He straightened himself and gazed at her, ignoring the flicker of disappointment that passed across her face. He could tell Mia disliked him being so formal to her even when nobody else was around. "Was there something that you wanted?"

"I just thought we could sit down and talk," Mia said somberly, glancing at one of the benches placed in the garden. "You're on your break now, aren't you?"

"If you wish," Alex said, walking over to the bench. Fortunately, the bench was dry since it had not snowed since early yesterday morning. He sat down on the bench, stiffening slightly as Mia sat close to him. Alex had no desire to breach any rules, but Mia seemed to have little care for his feelings on the matter.

"You know, I am fourteen now," Mia said, smiling at him as she fiddled with the pearl necklace draped across her chest. "In about four years, my father will start making arrangements for my future and choose a consort for me."

"You will marry at eighteen, won't you?" Alex asked. Mia nodded. "Just four years away, hmm? It seems that you are quite excited about the prospect."

"I've been thinking about it a lot lately," Mia said with a rapturous sigh. "Thinking of being with the man I'll spend my future with, being in love, and then that special day. I already have the man in mind that I want to marry. I'm sure that my father thinks the same as me."

"Is that so?" Alex asked, raising an eyebrow. He knew better than to ask, he didn't wish to pry into her personal affairs, even though Mia would probably quite happily tell him every little thing she was thinking.

"Uh huh." Mia nodded eagerly, leaning over with a wide grin on her face. "It's you. I think I would like you to be my consort when I'm older."

Alex coughed uncomfortably and gave her a weak smile. "Well, that's nice of you, but it is not your decision alone. But if I am picked, then I would be happy to spend my future with you. However, it is too early to be discussing such things."

"I like you, Alex," Mia said quietly, looking away and lowering her head. She fell quiet and let out a small sigh. His reaction wasn't entirely what she had been hoping for but at least he didn't mind the idea of them spending their lives together. Mia peeked at him from beneath her fringe, trying to discern his feelings from his blank expression. It was not easy. "Do you like me?"

"I live to serve both you and your father," Alex said. He knew what Mia meant, but he could not possibly speak of such things. He liked Mia a lot and he would do anything for her, but such words could not be said so freely. "I am eternally loyal to you."

"We're both alone, Alex," Mia said, her voice sounding slightly flat. "You don't have to be so formal all the time. Why can't we speak with each other like we used to?"

"We are older now, Princess," Alex said gently, rising to his feet. "I had no choice but to understand it while still young, but you have all the time you need to grow into a woman. When you have, you will understand."

"Yeah, sure," Mia murmured, getting up. "Well, I have to go to my lessons now, so I'll see you later." She flashed a brief smile at him before hurrying away.

Alex watched her retreating form and let out a wistful sigh. He really didn't want to tread on her feelings, but with her being of such a high rank and not understanding what it meant, he had no choice.

* * *

Garet gazed at the flaming bush, the hungry orange flames flickering furiously as they ate up the leaves. He looked down at his hands, a wry smile on his face. 

"I'm thinking that I'm a little too good with Psynergy," Garet said with a dry laugh. At the age of fourteen, he had only been learning to use Psynergy for a year, and was already exceptionally skilled at fire-related mishaps. "Somebody going to put that out?"

"I think you're a little fond of setting things on fire," Isaac said, shaking his head as he concentrated on moving the earth. With some effort, he managed to dump it over the bush and smothered most of the fire. "I just hope you don't burn the whole village down."

"When do you think we're going to be able to leave Vale and go out to save them?" Garet asked, turning away from the bush and letting out a sigh. "It's been ages since they were taken away."

"We're still too young to be going off around the world," Isaac said, biting his lower lip. He felt it was taking too long as well, but there wasn't much they could do about it. "Even Felix is still only fifteen. I think maybe it's going to take a few years more before Vale thinks they can let us go."

"I hope everybody is okay," Garet said, folding his arms and gazing at the horizon. "Who knows what's been happening the past... how long has it been? I lost track of the time ages ago."

"It's been five years," Isaac answered, reaching out to brush the mound of earth from the charred bush. He cast a weak Cure spell which managed to revitalise it slightly. "Five years that everyone has been held in captivity, away from home. It doesn't seem like they are going to return them either."

"Hey. What happened to that bush?" Felix asked as he walked up and stared at the burned vegetation. "You really are too good at burning things, Garet."

"At least it wasn't an accident this time," Garet said defensively, mentally cringing as he remembered the time he had set fire to the drapes hanging over a window in a sudden fit of temper. "It's hard to control if you don't know what you're doing."

"Well, we have plenty of time to practice," Isaac pointed out. "I haven't had any mishap with my powers yet, but there's not a lot of damage you can do when you're only capable of healing or using the earth."

"You will have mishaps if you're rushing things," Felix said. "There's no need to do things so quickly. Vale won't be letting us go for years." He let out a small sigh and shook his head. "It's annoying how nobody does anything. Instead, they just sit back and wait for us to do it."

"There are no warriors here," Isaac said. "Mom said that if you're going to become a warrior, you need years of training, and most of the people here just weren't young enough to start. That's why they are letting us do it."

"We are going to be great warriors," Garet said, looking determined. "I want to do the best that I possibly can. Everyone is waiting for us to get over there and save them."

"Of course. But we have to wait, like it or not," Isaac said firmly. He could tell Garet was impatient, but he could hardly fight against his youth, so he needed a lot of reminding.

"I don't think we can stop Garet from pushing his limits," Felix murmured to Isaac, who nodded. They knew how to be responsible and take their time, but Garet was more passionate about the long task at hand and he was stubborn about it as well.

* * *

Jenna gripped the cold bars of the ladder with tight fists, straining to pull herself up. With careful steps, she balanced herself on the bars and ascended slowly, trying not to sway to either side or else the heavy bag of roof tiles would throw her off balance. The roof of the building had been damaged in last night's snowstorm and she was one of the people picked to help fix the roof. 

Eventually, she reached the top and pulled herself over with a slight groan, feeling a surge of relief as she set down the bag of tiles. Her eyes swung to the ground far beneath, where someone else was now coming up the ladder with the tools. Jenna looked away, unsettled by the height, and crawled across the roof with the bag, the snow causing her knees to become damp. Her skirt was turning dark as the ice melted upon it.

Jenna approached the hole in the roof and carefully shifted the bag of tiles so that it sat close to the hole. She leaned over and peered down, seeing nothing but darkness. Nobody was in that room now. The dark emptiness unsettled her and she got to her feet, shivering and rubbing her arms. It was still intensely cold this morning and she really didn't want to be outside, but what choice did she have?

As Jenna stood on the roof and looked around, she realised she could see almost all of Prox from here. She felt literally on top of the world upon the roof of this tall building. Jenna let out a raptured sigh and stepped away from the hole, spiralling around as she gazed at the buildings and people far below on the ground, looking like tiny little figures standing on the snow.

Suddenly, a loose tile shifted beneath her feet and she skidded backwards, losing her balance. Jenna let out a terrified scream as she sailed off the roof, her back momentarily impacting with the edge of the roof. Her hands flailed out as she tried to grab something. Her fingers brushed against the roof's edge but it was not enough and she was plummeting, her body hurtling towards the snow. A shout sounded in her ears and she met with the ground, a sharp crack sounding in the back of her head. For a second, she saw the endless white of the clouded sky before the darkness took her.

"She sure was careless," a Proxian sneered as he stood over the unconscious girl, staring at the pool of blood that began to form beneath her head. "I saw her dancing on the roof for some crazy reason."

"We'd better take her to the sanctum quickly," a woman said anxiously as she hurried over. "She may just be one of the slaves but it's important we keep them alive, isn't it? Don't want to have to take the time to go and get more."

"I suppose so," the man said sniffily, reaching down and picking Jenna up, disregarding the blood that dripped onto his arm. "But it's not as if our leader cares about the lives of these slaves."

"Let's just hurry," the woman said, sounding slightly cross. She pressed a thick rag against the rapidly flowing wound, while the two of them walked across the snow toward the sanctum where the healers would be on duty.

An hour later, after the healers had worked on her, Jenna awoke groggily and shifted uncomfortably on the makeshift bed, a frown furrowing her forehead. Her blank eyes stared at the ceiling and her mouth moved, though she did not make a sound. A dull pain throbbed at the back of her head and she could feel something heavy wrapped around it.

"Where... am I?" she whispered, her voice sounding strange to her ears. Her head turned and her blurry gaze focused unsteadily upon a person walking toward her. The footsteps sounded strange, heavy and too loud for her.

"This is the sanctum," the Healer said briskly, gazing down at the ashen face of his patient. She looked so small and lost, lying there on the bed, but he felt little sympathy for her. If the story about her acting so carelessly on the roof was true, it was her own fault she was there. "You fell off the roof. You're going to have to rest in the infirmary for a while with an injury like that. But I'm sure you will have to make up for the work you miss out on."

Jenna stared up into the purple face of the healer, feeling intimidated by the glaring red eyes that bore into her. What was he saying? A soft moan escaped her lips and she looked away. Something felt wrong but she couldn't put a finger on it. She just wanted to rest a little longer. Her eyes closed shut and she drifted off into a confused sleep of distorted dreams that she would not remember afterwards.

When Jenna next awoke, she was sitting in a bed, draped with a crisp white sheet and her head rested against a thick pillow. Her hand reached up to touch the thick bandage wrapped tightly around her head and she sat up slightly, a slight dizziness taking hold of her. She held still and took deep breaths, waiting until it passed.

"Roof..." Jenna whispered, gazing around and seeing rows of beds in the room. One of them was occupied by a sleeping man, whose body was crisscrossed with wounds. She leaned back, resting against the pillow, and watched the man intently. Did she know him?

After what seemed like an eternity of lying down, a soldier clad in armour stepped into the room, dragging a red-haired girl along behind him. Jenna's gaze turned toward the two and she stiffened as the soldier marched up to her bed and pushed the girl forward before taking a few steps back and watching intently.

"Hey there," the girl said breathlessly, leaning on the bed and looking anxiously at her. "I asked and since I didn't have work left to do, they let me come here for a few minutes. Are you alright now? I was so worried when I heard about your fall."

A question... she had been asked a question. What was the answer to that question? Was she really alright? Though she wasn't feeling ill, she didn't really feel alright, but why didn't she? "I don't know."

"What? What's wrong?" the girl frowned, gazing into Jenna's eyes. "Jenna?"

"Jenna..." Jenna frowned and closed her eyes, registering it in her head. It didn't sound unfamiliar to her but it still sounded strange. She'd called her that, hadn't she? "Is that my name?"

An audible gasp followed. Jenna's eyes cracked open and she saw the shock on the girl's face.

"What's your name?" Jenna asked. "Do I know you?"

"It's me. Kay," said the girl, biting her lip. "You've lost your memory? Can you remember anything at all?"

"No..." Jenna whispered, shock plunging through her like a torrent of ice. Now she knew what was wrong with her. She couldn't remember a thing. "I can't remember anything."

"I think we should go now," the soldier said, smirking as he reached out to take Kay's arm. "If she doesn't remember you, what's the point of talking to her?"

"No... wait..." Kay protested, but the soldier did not listen as he began dragging her out of the room. "Jenna, you have to remember! Jenna!" Her voice faded away and everything was quiet again.

"I can't remember anything..." Jenna whispered, curling up into a ball. Tears began trickling down her face as she tried to search the darkness in her mind but found nothing. Who was she? She couldn't even remember herself. Her memories were gone. Everything... her whole life was forgotten. She was just lost.

When she returned to work, they tried to tell her who she was... about her past... these people she was supposed to know... but she wanted to remember on her own. All she wanted to do was hide herself away and wait for her past to come back. How could people telling her bring back her past? So she hid and waited, as she focused on working and enduring the slave driving mastery of Prox.


	6. Chapter 6

**Vision**

* * *

And finally, what you've been waiting for. The main plot begins, because we're in the present now. Hurray! 

Camelot owns Golden Sun.

* * *

Mia weaved her way through the streets of Imil, smiling back as people greeted her when she walked past them. She raised her head and gazed up at the flakes of snow that fell slowly from the sky, a peaceful smile on her face. Mia loved to be out when the snow was falling, it made her feel content and happy. 

In less than a year, her life was going to be changing and for the better. She just knew it. Mia clasped her hands to her chest, feeling the familiar buzz of excitement as she thought about that upcoming day. When she was eighteen, her father would pick the man for her to be married to and she would have a man by her side to love her.

It never bothered her that her marriage would be arranged for her, since Mia had it fixed in her mind that her father would pick the man she wanted to marry. How could he not know how much she idolised Alex? It was just a little disappointing that Alex still wouldn't loosen up around her, but maybe that would change when their destinies became intertwined.

Mia reached out with a gloved hand, watching the snowflakes land in her palm. They were so soft and delicate. If she so much as touched them, they would break up. The flakes were already melting upon the palm of her hand as she brushed them away. Mia came to a stop and leaned against a wall, reaching up to brush flakes of snow out of her soft, blue hair.

In the distance, she could see the gates of Imil's walls, guarded as always by the soldiers that loyally defended the city. Mia had rarely ever been through those gates and all that lay ahead was an expanse of mountains and snow. Imil was almost isolated and few travellers came to the city. It was a peaceful city where everybody knew each other and they lived, happy and safe, under the rule of their king. Mia was proud of her father for running the city so well, he cared for the people and his home. She couldn't think of anyone better to be ruling Imil.

Would she be a good ruler like her father? That day was a long way off and she hoped it wouldn't be too soon. At the tender age of seventeen, Mia was content to stay a princess, and her father was still only middle-aged, so she was sure she wouldn't be Queen for a very long time yet. Still, Mia allowed herself to think of sitting upon the royal throne, Alex by her side, as she looked after the people of her home. It was an exciting thought while it lasted.

A shout suddenly went up in the air, startling Mia. She spun around on her feet, looking toward the gate, where she saw a plume of fire shooting up. It lunged forward and devoured the gate in its wake, sending the strong timber crashing to the snow. The guards leaped aside as the gate crashed down, their weapons at the ready. Mia's eyes widened as she saw a troop of warriors marching into the city.

It was an ambush, Mia could see that much. She stood frozen to the spot, paralyzed with fear, as she watched the ensuing battle. The Imilian guards tried to fight, but were immediately consumed by fire that shot from the warriors' hands. They looked like no warriors she had ever seen before. They were tall and bulky with formidable armour that sported a symbol she had never seen before and their ears were pointed, sticking out from beneath their helms. Just who were they?

"Princess Mia, you have to run!" a man exclaimed, running in front of her. "Hurry back to the palace where you'll be safe!"

Mia bit her lip, feeling agonised as she saw Imilians screaming as waves of fire washed over them. Within seconds, they were brought to their knees and kicked aside as the terrifying warriors marched forward. Then she realised how much danger she could be in and turned, running back to the palace. Her breath came out in ragged gasps and her eyes stung with frightened tears.

Who were those terrifying people and why were they attacking her beloved city? Was it so that they could steal? Imil had wealth and treasure, there would be many valuable things those warriors could claim, especially in the palace. Mia came to a stop as the thought occurred to her. The palace was not safe either. She grimly turned and ducked behind a building, watching as Imil's soldiers came surging out of the palace to fight the fire users. There had to be somewhere to hide.

Mia blindly ran through the snow, ducking behind trees and buildings, as screams and the sounds of clashing weapons rang out from behind her. Those fire warriors were already everywhere, surging through the city, spreading out as they plundered Imil. Mia came to a stop behind a tree, shuddering as a fire warrior came out of a house, clutching a gold statuette in his hands. So they really were after treasure.

One of Imil's soldiers sprang at the warrior from behind and Mia let out a sigh of relief as his sword cleaved the warrior's head from his shoulders. She shuddered as she caught a glimpse of wide, red eyes and turned away so that she would not have to see the sight of blood spreading over the snow.

A pained scream sounded from behind her and Mia turned around in shock to see the brave soldier standing still with a wide sword penetrating him. Mia let out a pained cry as she witnessed the fall of one of her city's soldiers. The soldier looked at her and was only able to mouth 'Run' before his eyes rolled to the top of his head and he fell over in a lifeless heap.

Mia trembled and turned to look at the warrior who had killed him, flinching as she looked into his red eyes and saw his malevolent grin. He was looking right at her. His face was bright green. Why was it green? He began walking towards her, taking steady, deliberate steps as he advanced on her. Mia cried out and flung out a hand, ice shooting into his eyes. He yelled in pain and reached up to put his hands over his eyes in agony. Mia took advantage of the distraction and fled.

It suddenly occurred to her where she could hide. There was a secret exit at the back of the city, a thin gap in the walls secluded by vines. Unless anyone knew where to look, it was not easy to find, so it was a good way to enter or leave the city in secret. Mia ran as fast as she could toward the back of the city, taking care not to be spotted by the red-eyed warriors as she ran.

There it was. Mia clutched her pounding chest, her sides aching, as she walked toward the cluster of greyish-green vines hanging against the wall. Her head turned and she saw her father being escorted toward the exit by two Imil soldiers. The sight made her heart leap in joy and she was just about to hurry toward them when something happened to make her stop.

The vines against the wall exploded in a flash of flames. Mia gasped in horror and took a step back, shaking her head in dismay. So they had even found the secret exit? Her heart sank as a tall, armoured warrior pushed his way through the hole in the wall. There was a bow in his hands. Without a moment's warning, he nocked an arrow in it and let it fly.

There was no time for anyone to react, taken aback by surprise at the entrance. It was an accurate and deadly weapon with a long range. Time seemed to slow down as Mia's gaze followed the trajectory of the arrow while it flew through the air. It buried itself deeply within the king's throat.

Mia gasped in anguish, her mouth widening in a soundless scream as she watched her father fall to the ground, choking and clutching his throat while he gasped for air. One of the soldiers kneeled besides him, only for another arrow to find itself in his forehead. The soldier crumpled next to the dying king. The other soldier lunged forward and tackled the archer, slicing his throat with his sword.

There was blood on the snow. So much blood, coming from her father's throat. Mia took an unsteady step forward, whimpering as she looked at the twitching body of the King, a tear falling down her face. Then the body went still and she knew it. He was dead.

"No... no..." Mia walked forward, quicker this time. "Father!" she screamed at the top of her voice, as if he could hear her, but he couldn't. He was gone. She was about to break in a run and head toward her father's body when a hand took hold of her arm. Mia let out a frightened scream and turned, prepared to fight back against her supposed attacker.

"Calm down, Princess, it's me!" Alex hissed, silencing her. Mia gasped for breath and sagged against his chest, sobbing as she pressed her face into him. "We've got to get out of here somehow. It's not safe here. I must protect you."

"They found the secret exit," Mia gasped out, not looking toward the spot where the bodies of the fallen lay upon the snow. "And Father... one of those warriors killed Father. They didn't even see it coming. Father's dead..."

Alex caught sight of the bodies and his heart sank as he saw it. The King was lying dead upon the snow with an arrow in his neck. Now he knew he had to get Mia to safety, she was the last of the royal family of Imil. Her importance was even greater with their monarch dead. "We've got to go." He desperately pulled her away, trying to seek a place where they could get through in secret.

"Where are we going to go?" Mia whispered numbly, faintly aware of Alex pulling her into an alleyway behind a row of buildings. "Those warriors are everywhere. They are going to kill everyone and steal Imil's treasure. That's what they came for, isn't it? We're all going to die here, aren't we?"

"You won't die," Alex insisted, pausing for a moment and cupping her chin in his hand. "I will die defending you if I have to, but I will make sure that you live, Princess. Please be strong."

Mia was just about to speak but she froze, letting out a soft gasp as she looked past Alex. Footsteps sounded behind him and he instinctively pushed Mia back, whirling around on his feet to see who was there. A searing fireball immediately flew into his face and he stumbled back, crying out in pain.

"Alex!" Mia exclaimed in shock as he staggered back, casting a healing spell upon his burned face. The footsteps increased in speed and she looked toward the intruder, crying out as she realised how close he was. Then an arm seized her arm, clutching tightly, and dragged her away from Alex.

"Princess!" Alex exclaimed in shock, staring wide-eyed as he saw Mia in the clutches of one of the fire warriors. He was a tall man with thick armour and his eyes gleamed red. His skin was white and blue and his hair was the same shade as the coloured markings of his face.

"Oh, so this is the Princess of Imil, is it?" the man said in a sneering voice, looking down at the shivering girl that he held in his arms. A smirk spread across his face. "She must be a Mercury Adept as well, judging by her hair. I think Mercury Adepts are quite useful with their healing skills."

"Let the Princess go," Alex hissed through his gritted teeth. "Who do you think you are?"

"I am Saturos, ruler of the proud Prox empire," replied the man, smiling at Alex though the smile did not reach his crimson eyes. "We simply wanted to have a little more wealth so we considered attacking this place. It's going quite well, isn't it? Hmm, you are a Mercury Adept too, aren't you?"

"If you don't let her go, then I will have to show you how skilled with Water Psynergy I am," Alex said in a smooth voice. He would not show weakness in front of such a formidable looking warrior.

"Oh, see, I was hoping we could deal with this rationally," Saturos said in mock disappointment. In a swift movement, he pulled his sword from his sheath with a loud scraping sound and held the blade against Mia's neck. Mia stifled a gasp of fright, freezing as she felt the cold metal pressing gently against her throat.

Alex also froze to the spot, his eyes wide in horror as he gazed into Mia's frightened pair. Now he really couldn't do anything. If he so much as attempted to attack, he would be risking the life of the Princess, and that was the absolute last thing he would even do.

"Now let's talk, shall we?" Saturos smiled, holding the sword steadily as he gripped Mia tightly. "How about you two come with us to Prox while we take away Imil's treasure? If you refuse or try to fight me, then all you're going to get is a headless Princess. That's not a very pleasing prospect, is it?"

"Alex..." Mia whispered, trembling and closing her eyes shut. She tried to ignore the feeling of the cold steel on her throat, stifling the fear that welled up inside her. "Please... don't fight."

"We'll go to Prox," Alex said finally, gazing sadly at the ground. So he hadn't been able to escape with her after all, but at least her life and his would be spared for the moment. It disgusted him how useless he suddenly was. He couldn't even save her. "Just please don't hurt Mia."

"So her name's Mia, is it? Nice name," commented Saturos, yanking Mia along as he started walking. "Walk in front of me, Alex, and no funny tricks. We'll go to our ship now." Alex did as he said, walking tersely in front. "I'm sure you two will like Prox. There is a lot of snow there too. You'll feel right at home."

As they walked out of the city, Mia threw one last longing look at the place that was her home. Buildings were on fire and people lay dead in the street, both Imilians and warriors from Prox. A fierce war had raged in Imil today and now people were surging out of the city, bearing loot towards the ship that sat at the coast nearby. Imil had been robbed of its King and its treasure, now it was almost nothing. She was the last testament to the royalty that had governed the city. Would she ever see Imil again?

Mia was taken onto the ship and shoved into a small compartment, the door locked tightly against her. It was dark in the room and she couldn't see. As she stumbled around the compartment, she found a crate and sat down upon it. Mia curled up on top and let herself cry, tears streaking down her face. Loud sobs erupted from her chest as she wept for her father and the city. Eventually the ship began to move and the gentle rocking of the ship sailing on the sea was enough to lull her into an uncomfortable sleep.

The sun was streaming down on her, warming her with its rays, as she danced around through a golden field of wheat. Mia spiralled and twirled as she danced, her chest bursting with happiness. It was so warm and peaceful here in a tranquil and beautiful land, she wouldn't want to be anywhere else right now. Her bare feet tapped in rhythm over the soft, earthy ground and her thin, white dress swirled around her as she spun. Her hair flowed around her shoulders, entwined with flowers.

A gentle and warm voice spoke into her ears. "I will always be with you, Mia," the voice told her as it spoke.

Mia stopped dancing and looked up to see her guardian angel drifting toward her. Mia let out a cry of happiness and ran through the field toward him, wrapping her arms around him. Her fingers brushed against his golden wings and she gazed up into his beautiful blue eyes which matched her own. Then their lips met in a soft and passionate embrace as they clung on to each other.


	7. Chapter 7

**Vision**

* * *

Instead of totally destroying Imil, I just kind of... partially destroyed it this time around. But it's much nicer, isn't it? I'm changing quite a few things... but not too much.

Camelot owns Golden Sun.

* * *

Two days had passed since Imil had been attacked and robbed of its treasure and monarchy. Many of the people of the city had been killed in the attack, but some survived and were left to pick up the pieces as well as deal with the bodies that littered their city. Many of the buildings had been gutted by fire and half the palace was in ruins. It was clear to the remaining people that the once proud and happy city would never be the same again, as they mourned for what they lost.

Nobody saw the boat that drifted up to the coast near Imil and came to a rest against the snow covered beach, gently stopping in its tracks. The boat was large and elegant, a silver dragon's head protruding from its bow, crimson jewels serving for eyes. A young man was standing at the tiller of the ship, his dark brown ponytail fluttering in the breeze as he looked out from the ship.

His gaze lingered upon the city nearby and he immediately saw that part of the city was in ruins, some of its buildings blackened by fire. The sight unsettled him. It was quite clear that something terrible had happened here, perhaps not long ago. He headed to the side of the ship in order to get a better look and his worst fears were confirmed. The city had definitely been pillaged, but whether there were survivors or not, it was unclear.

"Isaac! Garet!" he called out, turning to look behind him. Evidently, they were both inside the cabin so he hurried over and wrenched open the door, looking inside. "You two, come out here quickly!"

Eventually, after what seemed like a while, two other boys came out of the cabin to accompany him, both wondering what was going on.

"What's wrong, Felix?" Isaac asked in concern as Felix walked to the side of the ship and pointed out what was bothering him. Isaac walked up to get a look and drew in a sharp breath as he saw the burned city for himself. "That's awful. The city's been attacked."

"I want to see!" Garet exclaimed, momentarily shoving Isaac aside in his rush to see what it was. Isaac shot an annoyed glance at him and moved away as Garet leaned over the ship, his eyes widening as he saw it. "What happened there?"

"We're just going to have to find out, aren't we?" Isaac asked, glancing at Felix. "I suppose we are going in there, aren't we?" He looked at the city, wondering who could possibly have attacked it and left it in such a state. It was simply barbaric that anybody could do such a thing.

"There could be survivors in there," Felix said, nodding emphatically. "If anything, we could get some information. Let's get off the ship and head into that city."

"They might need our help," Isaac said, shivering as he thought of what might have happened to the people in there. "People might be injured from that attack. We can heal them if that's the case."

"Who the hell did this to the city?" Garet asked in disgust as the three embarked from the ship, dropping to the soft, snowy ground beneath.

The faint smell of burning hung in the air and they wrinkled their noses at the smell as they got closer to the city, their feet crunching in the thick snow. They walked around the walls of the city and came to the large gap in the walls that was the entrance. A heap of blackened wood lay by the gap in the walls, presumably the gates that had once guarded this city.

"This is terrible," Isaac said, shuddering as he walked through the entrance, looking around in dismay. "It's so quiet in here. There's blood on the wall over there. These people were vicious."

"Is anybody there?" Garet called out as they walked along a street, his voice echoing off the walls of the buildings. He looked at a house, a lump rising in his throat as he saw that one of the walls was gone and part of the house was caved in. How many homes had been destroyed by this savage ambush?

"There's someone up there!" Felix exclaimed as he spotted a person hunched over, sitting on the stump of a destroyed three. The three hurried across the street, approaching the startled person.

"Visitors?" asked the woman who sat upon the tree stump, a faint smile on her worn face. "We've been getting quite a few visitors to Imil lately, it seems." She let out a heavy sigh and bowed her head. "I can tell you three are good people. The last warriors that came here weren't."

"How many warriors were there?" Isaac asked, looking around slowly. So many buildings destroyed, so few people in this place. It must have been a great many of them to cause such destruction in a large city like this. This fire... could it have been Adepts? "Did these people use fire?"

"That they did," the woman said quietly, nodding her head. Her dark, sad eyes focused on Isaac. "So you know of these people that use strange powers? We had never seen people who used fire before, though there are a few people here who use water. Not that many... they may all be gone now."

"Mars Adepts, huh?" Garet put his hands on his hips and exhaled, looking around at the damage. "So, it looks like an army of these fire Adepts came in here and ransacked the place, doesn't it?"

"An army... yes, I suppose you could call it that," said the woman. "There were a great many of them. Imil's army fought well and they defeated a few of the fire users, but in the end, it was just not enough."

"An army of fire Adepts," Felix whispered, his eyes widening. His mind went back to that horrible day when he had looked out on the plaza and seen those fearsome warriors, using fire to strike down those in their way. "Ma'am, what did these people look like?"

"Oh, they were frightening," the woman gasped out, her eyes widening as she talked about the frightening appearance of the warriors. "You might not believe me, but their eyes were the brightest red like blood and their ears... so long and pointed. Their faces were covered with markings and I think they even had scales."

"Didn't the people who attacked Vale look like that?" Isaac murmured, looking at Garet and Felix. He didn't see them for himself, but he had heard eyewitness accounts of the strong, fire using warriors who attacked Vale and took the children away. He certainly recalled that they had not looked like normal humans.

"They used fire as well, didn't they?" Garet looked shocked, his mouth hanging open. "I think we've finally got a lead to these people! They were here, right here, attacking this city and destroying it!"

"It definitely sounds like them." Felix nodded, feeling a sudden surge of hope. Finally, they had found a place where these warriors were recently. If they could just get the information that they needed so badly. "I saw them for myself after all."

"You have seen these terrifying warriors?" asked the woman in shock. "Then I suppose that Imil is not the only place that has been targeted in this manner. Are the three of you after them?"

"We certainly are," Isaac said, turning back to the woman. "We have been searching for them for a while now. Do you know where these people came from? If we could just find their base, then we might have a chance."

"Hmm... well, as I was hiding, I do believe I heard one of them say something that sounded like it could be a place name," the woman said with an intent frown. "It sounded like Prox. I believe that such a place exists but it is very far to the north a long way away from here. Those barbarians came by boat."

"Well, thank you for telling us," Garet said, feeling relieved. At last they knew where those people lived. Jenna, Kay and all the other kidnapped residents of Vale might be waiting for them in Prox right now. "Okay, you guys, seems like we'd better set off for Prox straight away and give those jerks a piece of our minds."

"Hold on," said the woman as the three turned away. They turned back to look at her with questioning stares. "The Princess of Imil... Mia, and one of the servants of the palace, a young man named Alex... the two of them were taken to Prox. But it would be risky for you to even try saving them. I would suggest you stay far away from that place, but if you must go there..."

"We have to," Felix said determinedly. "There are other people there we are desperate to save, but we will definitely try to save your princess and her servant as well if possible."

The woman smiled in relief though she seemed worried and waved as they turned away and headed back through the city toward the exit.

"Do we really have to save these people as well?" Garet asked, looking a bit discontented by the idea. "I thought we were going for the other people from Vale. What if we can't get to that Princess anyway?"

"Anyone who is a captive of Prox is worth saving," Isaac said sternly. "Of course, our own are higher priority, but we should at least make the effort to save any other captives if it's possible. We shouldn't be letting Prox get away with all this kidnapping."

"At any rate, we are going to Prox. They have been waiting for us for too long," Felix said with a regretful sigh. It had already been eight years since the children of Vale were taken away and they had been waiting for so long to be rescued. They might even have given up all hope of being rescued by now. "I just hope it isn't too late for anyone."

"Let's try and be optimistic here," Isaac suggested as they walked toward the ship, biting his lower lip in anxiety. He didn't want to worry about what might have happened to anyone while in that place. "I feel nervous enough about this."

"Their army is pretty strong," Garet said, waiting for Felix and then Isaac to ascend the ladder onto the ship so that he could climb up after them. "We're going to have to be really careful when we get there."

"We're going to do our best," Felix said in determination as he approached the tiller and took it in his hands. "We don't have a choice. We waited this long to go and save everyone. It's finally time to go and get them then take them home."

The ship moved away from the coast, leaving behind the ruined city of Imil, as it sailed over the sparkling seas, facing north toward the Prox empire as they set off to finally seek out the captives from Vale who had been waiting so long for their rescue.

* * *

Saturos stood in front of the ship that gently bobbed up and down on the river, folding his arms across his chest and gazing at the large and proud city that was Prox. A contented smile spread across his face as his fellow Proxians struggled past him, pulling the loot behind them in crates and chests.

"At last we are home," Saturos said, looking back over his shoulder to see a white-skinned man in green armour approach him. "Apart from a few losses on our end, I would say we did pretty well in getting all this treasure."

"We are rich too!" the green man exclaimed, punching the air with a fist. His eyes gleamed as he watched a chest go past, a trinket gleaming from beneath its slightly uplifted lid. "Isn't this exciting?"

"We were already rich, Agatio," Saturos told him, shaking his head in mild exasperation. "We just got a little bit richer. Imil certainly had some valuable stuff in its reserves."

Agatio didn't say anything in response, he just nodded his head and turned away, looking at all the Proxians who came off the ship. There were still many men here, though a few had been lost, but it was no great loss and Prox's army was still a formidable size. They were still capable of ransacking an entire army and robbing it of its loot if they wished.

Saturos turned around as well, his smile widening as he saw Alex and Mia be pulled off the ships. Two Mercury Adepts, one of them being Imil's very own Princess. They were certainly valuable captives and he was feeling proud of himself for his good work. If he hadn't caught the two alone in that alleyway, they might actually have been cut down by his men and that would be a shame. The King on the other hand, the kill had been deliberate. It robbed Imil of power.

Mia and Alex were pulled along by the warriors, both of them feeling too listless to fight. They had not had much food on the two day journey and could not provide any resistance as the Proxians dragged them along.

"Ah, Zantor, Vermand," Saturos said, approaching the Proxian warriors who held the Imilians. "Be sure to take these two to the holding cells until I've decided what we shall do with them." The warriors nodded and dragged Alex and Mia away. Saturos walked over to his companion and clapped a hand against his arm. "Come on, Agatio, we'll return to the palace and tell everyone about our little adventure."

"Sounds good," Agatio said, following Saturos. "I've got a good story to tell. I'm sure everyone will like to hear it."

Mia sullenly walked along, gazing sadly at the snow beneath her feet as the Proxian dragged her along. She let out a heavy sigh, looking up at the city ahead of her. For a moment, she was amazed at its size. Prox looked much grander than Imil. Many of the buildings were taller than Imil's. Even the people seemed better off, wearing rich and beautiful clothes. Mia felt a pang as she realised Imil would never look like this. From what she had last seen, half of it was destroyed and burnt to the ground.

As she walked through the city while escorted by the Proxian, she caught sight of the palace. Even Prox's palace was much more beautiful than Imil's, it was vaster and the windows sparkled cleanly. She was led away toward a small grey building and pulled inside. The sound of footsteps echoed loudly off the plain stone walls as she was marched past various doors, bars fixed securely in the windows. Mia glanced back and saw Alex behind her, being led by another Proxian.

Mia was jerked to a stop and she numbly watched as the Proxian pulled back a bolt, opening the door. With a sharp push, she was shoved in. For a moment, Mia hoped that Alex would be put in the cell with her, but then the door was slammed shut with a resounding clang and her heart sank in her chest. Alex glanced sadly at her as he was pulled past and Mia sighed, sitting up and looking around the cell.

The cell was plain and dismal. There was a bucket in the corner of the room and a thin blanket upon the floor. Everything was eerily quiet around her and she felt completely alone. Mia let out a sigh of grief and crawled across the floor onto the blanket, where she curled up and closed her eyes shut.

How long was she going to have to be stuck down here? What did they want her for? So many unanswered thoughts whirled around in Mia's head as she willed herself to sleep, trying to ignore the bitter cold inside the cell.


	8. Chapter 8

**Vision**

* * *

Well, it seems I can update the chapters nice and quickly after all. The rewrite has suddenly being going better than I thought it would. Hooray for unlazyness. 

Camelot owns Golden Sun.

* * *

Alex was sleeping soundly in his cell despite the intense cold that seized his body in its grip. He was curled up in the corner upon a thin blanket that did little to keep him comfortable against the cold, stone floor. He curled up tightly in the hope that his own body heat would prevent him from freezing to death. His long blue hair fell over his face, obscuring his expression. His clothes had been slightly dirtied from the two days' journey on the ship bound to Prox, travelling over the rough northern seas. The journey had not been particularly pleasant. He'd had to sleep on the floor and eat leftover meat from the Proxians' meals. 

At times, he wondered how Imil had fared after the ambush and felt sad for the partial loss of the city he had loved so. So many buildings had been burned to the ground and several of Imil's residents left lying dead on the snow in pools of their own blood. The palace had been half destroyed. The King, who ruled the city with a kind heart and never did anybody any wrong, even he was dead. At least Mia's life had been spared and for that he was very thankful. He just hated to think of her in the same situation, trapped in a city full of barbarians.

Morning had now arrived, announced by the rising of the pale sun as it ascended into the sky. Still, Alex slept on, his exhausted body struggling to get all the rest it needed to compensate for the trauma it had suffered from an uncomfortable journey on a ship that lasted two days. The cell was not much better. It stank, and the smell seemed to be coming from the grimy, rancid bucket sitting in the corner of the cell. Alex had no desire to touch something so filthy and kept as far from it as he possibly could.

As Alex dreamed in his fitful sleep, struggling not to let the cold awaken him, he dreamed that he was floating upon an iceberg. It was floating across the stormy sea as the strong winds buffetted him with sharp, cold gusts. His body was enamoured with a thin layer of inpenetrable frost. He could not even move, his entire body frozen stiff. It felt as if every single bone in his body was encased in ice. Even his teeth were frozen together as they tried to chatter. His eyes were the only parts of his body capable of moving, flickering back and forth. All he saw was the cold and icy sea that surrounded him, frothy waves hurling themselves against the iceberg and drenching him in unbelievably cold salt water. No matter how cold he was, he couldn't even shiver.

"Hey! Wake up, you!" a loud voice commanded. A Proxian soldier drew back the bolt that held the cell door shut with a loud scrape and he pulled open the door. The soldier rapidly strode into the cell and spotted the huddled form curled up in the corner. He kneeled down and roughly shook him, rousing him from sleep.

"Huh?" Alex muttered as he was roused from his uncomfortable slumber, his eyes slowly opening. His gaze focused upon the Proxian soldier looming over him and he stiffened, preparing himself for anything the Proxian might try to do to him. "Who are you?" Alex muttered, his voice sounding hoarse. He swallowed and coughed, trying to clear his throat.

"My name is Miral," answered the soldier, a blank expression on his face as he answered Alex's question. He cleared his throat and straightened himself. "Saturos has commanded that you come to his room. I am to escort you there. You are not allowed to resist." As a warning, he opened a fist and a brief flame flickered from his palm.

"Oh, don't worry, I would love to have a little chat with your leader," Alex spat out, rising stiffly to his feet and trying to shake off the cold feeling that had settled into his limbs. He remembered all too well the man with the steel blue hair who had threatened Mia and taken them both here. "There's no need to threaten me like that."

"Very well," said Miral, turning and walking toward the door. He beckoned for Alex to walk out and gripped his arm, pushing him along. "Do not try anything funny on the way to the palace. It would not be advisable."

Alex rolled his eyes as he allowed the Proxian soldier to lead him along. He was sure he had already made it clear that he was agreeing to see Saturos, but this Proxian apparently still thought it necessary to threaten him.

As Miral led him out of the building and toward the palace, Alex briefly glanced around. Just like yesterday, the mere size and grandeur of Prox amazed him. Clearly, everyone here was so much better off than the people of Imil had ever been. Then again, he wouldn't have been surprised if Prox had only got here by greed and slavery. Imil at least had been honest in reaching its goals.

"It sure was mighty cold in that cell," Alex spat out, still feeling quite disgruntled from that cold night. "Is it too much to just have a few torches lit? I was afraid I would freeze to death in there."

"Is that so?" asked Miral, not seeming to care how Alex felt as he led him up the wide and sweeping steps to the palace. "Proxians do not feel the cold unless they are close to death, so I simply cannot sympathise with you."

"I didn't ask for sympathy," Alex muttered as he was pulled through the wide palace doors. He swore he heard faint footsteps behind him as they walked through the doors, but looking back, he did not see anyone behind him. Alex put it all down to his imagination and continued walking, looking around in amazement at the beauty of the Proxian palace. After walking through a few corridors, Miral stopped in front of wide mahogany doors decorated with gold paint.

The Proxian knocked sharply on one of the doors, then pulled it open and shoved Alex past and into the room beyond. Alex felt another force pushing him from behind and then the door slammed. Miral had not followed him in. He heard footsteps going past and he could have sworn they went behind a large screen at the side of the room. Shaking his head, Alex turned his gaze to the center of the room.

This room was rather spectacular by itself. The room was large with a high ceiling and a large chandelier hung from the ceiling, lit with flickering flames. The floor was carpeted in red, decorated with long, twisting gold dragons, and the white walls were decorated with gold and silver patterns. At the center of the room, Saturos sat upon a large throne, a smile on his face.

"I take it you like my taste in decorating," Saturos said, folding his hands upon his lap. His crimson eyes flickered up and down as he scrutinised Alex, attempting to gauge his strengths from a simple glance. "How about the rest of the city?"

Alex swallowed, trying to ignore the sour taste that was suddenly in his mouth. He had no liking for this man who had obviously orchestrated the attack on Imil and even threatened Mia's life. "I suppose Prox is much nicer than Imil ever was," Alex admitted reluctantly. He couldn't deny it, having seen it with his own eyes.

"So..." Saturos leaned back, sounding slightly more pleasant as he attempted to speak in a conversational tone. "Did you sleep well last night? Was that cell to your liking?"

Alex glared coldly at Saturos, bristling with annoyance. Saturos knew how uncomfortable he had been in that freezing cell, didn't he? "Why do you care if I slept well or not anyway?"

"Just curious," Saturos said with a shrug, a wry smile tugging at the side of his mouth. "The comfort of my guests is one of my highest priorities."

"Very funny," Alex sniffed as he detected the sarcasm in the tone of Saturos's voice. "You know perfectly well that cell was freezing cold and it was an extremely unpleasant experience for me. It wasn't exactly sunny and warm in Imil either. I also have a nasty feeling that bucket there was still full of crap."

"Well..." Saturos paused and tapped his fingers against the arm of his throne, looking intently at Alex. "Perhaps it was my little way of testing your strengths, seeing how much you are capable of enduring. You look like a strong young man. Since you survived such a cold and unpleasant night... I believe I can see a new future for you coming into fruition."

"A new future?" Alex echoed, sounding doubtful. "Well... I suppose I am strong and I can't argue with being a young man, but I wouldn't really brag about myself because I don't think there's much. Still, what do you mean by a new future? I'm not going back to Imil, am I?"

"Sorry, but I would rather not send you back to Imil just yet," Saturos replied, leaning forward. "You are far too useful to me to be letting go of, you see. I'm sure Imil isn't going to be missing you too much anyway. Just be thankful yours and the Princess's lives were spared."

"Where is she?" Alex demanded as he heard Mia mentioned. Was she still shut away in that awful cell? He bristled at the thought of Mia alone, freezing cold, just like he was the night before.

"She is being held in a cell of course," Saturos responded. "Of course, we did ensure that her cell was more pleasant than yours, it wasn't necessary to test her to such extremes, so she didn't suffer like you did. I am still wondering what to do with her however."

"You had better not lay a hand upon Mia," Alex said in a tight voice, his hard stare showing that he was serious about what he said. "If you do... there's no accounting for the actions I might resort to."

"Well, well," chuckled Saturos, sitting back in the throne. "You certainly do have an attitude underneath that cool demeanour of yours. I like that. Anyway, I am tired of this needless chatting, so let's just get to the point, shall we? I believe you could do very well if you joined the soldiers and fought for us. A strong, young Adept is just the thing that we need."

Alex hesitated, unable to find the words. How could he even accept such an offer like that? To work with the people of Prox who had partially destroyed his home? Such a thought was simply unthinkable. "I'm afraid you'll have to try a little harder than that."

"You wouldn't like to return to that nasty, cold cell, would you?" Saturos asked. Alex shook his head slightly. "If you joined with us, you would no longer be treated like a prisoner in this city. You could sleep in proper lodgings and be a proper warrior. Please do consider my offer."

Alex licked his lips, considering the offer. It sure sounded tempting, but... "Could I think about this for a moment?"

Saturos closed his eyes and exhaled heavily, seemingly impatient when presented with Alex's deliberation. "Okay. But if you decided to join us before tonight, you wouldn't need to spend another night in that cell. You could be sleeping in the warriors' lodgings tonight. Does that not help you make your mind up?"

"I said I needed time," Alex whispered, but even as he hesitated, he couldn't push away the tantalising thought of sleeping in a proper bed tonight and not having to sleep in a stinking, freezing cell. "But I really do not want to go back to that cell. I really could have a proper bed tonight?"

"Certainly." Saturos nodded. "Are you up for it?"

Alex glanced down at his feet, looking slightly nervous. He looked back up and stared at Saturos, his blue eyes showing a hint of worry. "You definitely will not hurt Mia?"

"We have no intentions of hurting her," Saturos answered. "Mia will be fine."

"Well, in that case..." Alex closed his eyes and exhaled heavily, pushing away the sudden feeling of guilt at the idea he was betraying his own city. "I will accept your offer, Saturos."

"Oh, really?" Saturos smiled in delight. So it hadn't taken Alex so long after all. He was getting a little worried that Alex would take too long to decide for his liking.

"Yes," Alex replied, nodding firmly. "I'm accepting the offer."

* * *

Mia awoke with a start, feeling confused for a moment as she wondered where she was. As she gazed at the bleak walls of stone, she remembered where she was. Trapped inside a cell, imprisoned within the city of Prox. As she sat up and looked around, she thought of Alex and wondered if he was alright. She was quite worried about him and had no idea what was going to happen to him, or herself for that matter. 

Mia got to her feet and stumbled over to the barred window fixed in the door, clutching the metal bars with her hands. She peered through the bars, pressing her face against them, unable to see anything but an endless stone wall with flaring torches.

"Is anyone out there?" Mia called desperately though she did not expect to get an answer. She sighed and leaned against the door, suddenly aware of the growling in her stomach. "I really need to eat! Isn't someone going to give me some food?" There was still no answer, no indication anybody was even there. Mia let out a sigh and stepped back, leaning against the wall and sliding down into a sitting position.

What was she supposed to do all alone in this drab and boring cell? There had to be some way to pass the time while she was stuck here, waiting for someone to come. It occurred to her to sing an old, favourite song of hers. It had been passed down in her family through several generations and apparently had something to do with Sol and Luna, but she didn't understand what it meant. Mia cleared her throat and began to sing in a high, clear voice.

"Sol is the giver of fire,  
The dragon who lies hither,  
Luna is the water bringer,  
Taking the form of maiden fair.

Sol lives in the sweeping wind,  
Winging his way by the day,  
Luna moves through the earth,  
Beaming upon us at night.

Sol is the golden sun,  
Luna is the silver moon,  
Crystals glowing with flames,  
Crystals filled with tears.

To the peaks which have stood,  
Since the world itself began,  
The crystals will be taken,  
And flames and tears meet.

Battle for world conquest,  
Battle for peace and harmony,  
Battle for life or death,  
The winner gets their way."

The song made little sense to her no matter how many times she sang it. She understood that there were supposedly crystals filled with flames or tears, although how could crystals possibly contain fire? Mia also wondered what the peaks that had stood since the world began were and she hoped she would find out someday.

Footsteps sounded outside the cell door and Mia leaped to her feet, gazing out of the window. A Proxian soldier stopped outside the door and slid back the bolt. Mia stood back and watched as the Proxian opened the door and slid a tray of food along the floor. She was just about to speak but the soldier had already stepped back and slammed the door shut before bolting it.

"Wait!" Mia desperately called, running to the window in the door. "Don't leave me alone here. At least talk to me! Please let me out of here!"

The footsteps in the distance faded away and Mia let out a disappointed sigh, sitting down next to the tray. At least she had food now. She hungrily grabbed the cutlery and began eating the food on her plate, relishing the taste of the hot food. At least they had given her some good, proper food.

* * *

A boat sailed steadily over the lone northern seas, moving ever closer to Prox as it sailed onward. The people upon the boat were ready and raring to reach Prox which lay ahead so they could finally accomplish what they had dreamed of for so many years, rescuing the captives of Vale. Their hearts were filled with hope as they dreamed of being reunited with everyone so soon, but they were all well aware that everything might not be that simple. Whatever happened when they got to Prox, they would be prepared for it. 

"It should only be a day or so before we get there," Isaac said excitedly. He had studied the map thoroughly and Prox did not seem to be too far from Imil. By their estimate, it was a two day journey. "We should be there tomorrow and then... hopefully we can bring everyone home with us."

"You know it might not be that easy," Felix said warningly. He wanted to be able to hope as much as Isaac was, but he knew it was not worth getting too excited about everything, only to be let down. "We're going to have to be very careful. They took everyone for a reason. They might still want to keep them."

"We have to save Kay, and Jenna," Garet said, clenching his fists as he thought of his older sister and childhood friend. "Everybody is waiting for us to come and get them. I don't care if Prox still wants them, we're taking them back."

"But like Felix said, it might not be easy," Isaac said as he exhaled heavily, gazing up at the clouded sky. "It could be a struggle just going in there for all we know. We have no idea what Prox is even like."

"Yeah, I guess," Garet muttered, turning away and looking irritated. "I don't want things to be too difficult. We've been waiting for too long to do this, we deserve to get a break, don't we?" He kicked the side of the ship in annoyance.

"Don't beat up the ship, Garet," Felix said, rolling his eyes in exasperation. "We were lucky we even got it, you know."

"We're coming, Prox," Isaac muttered, standing at the ship's bow as he gazed out to sea, seeing nothing but the endless sea. "We're going to take everybody back and take them home where they belong. You're not holding them for any longer." He nodded in determination as he finished speaking.


	9. Chapter 9

**Vision**

* * *

This long chapter must be startling after two moderately short chapters... but, hey, the main plot is beginning, so it's not so bad... 

Camelot owns Golden Sun.

* * *

Mia woke up to yet another morning inside the cold and lonely cell, feeling miserable as she realised she would probably face yet another day trapped inside here. The only people who came were Proxians with food. At least she was being fed, but she was feeling so bored and worried, trapped inside here. With no idea of what was going to happen to her or what might have happened to Alex, Mia was feeling horribly anxious. 

There really was nothing to do except worry and then worry some more as well as grieve for her home and her father. Mia let out a heavy sigh and got to her feet, her cramped limbs aching in complaint. She began methodically pacing around the cell, hugging her body with her arms. What she needed right now was a hot, warm bath and of course freedom. Her hair was feeling greasy and it looked dull and limp. Her once beautiful dress was slightly torn and stained with dirt. She no longer looked like the proud princess that she was. Her jewellery had either been lost or stolen from her. Whatever would her father think if he could look at her?

"Father..." Mia whispered, bowing her head and gazing at the stone floor. She squeezed her eyes shut as she thought of her happy memories of him, wishing so much that he was still alive and was with her now, telling her it would be okay and hugging her tightly as he comforted her. But he wasn't around anymore, he was dead, and she was never going to see him ever again.

"Will I die too?" Mia murmured, feeling a chill as the thought occurred to her. The Proxians had thought her worth taking with them, but what if they decided she was useless after all? She simply had no idea what they would do with her. Were they going to leave her in this drab and boring cell forever? "I don't want to be here forever. I think I would rather die then..." Mia broke off and bit her lip, staring sadly at the ceiling above her. How could she even go on like this, feeling so sad, worried and lonely?

Would she ever see Alex again? Mia tensed as she thought of him, her pulse quickening. She had no idea if he was even alive right now. Mia wanted him by her side so badly, she wanted him to hold her even just once, take her out of here, tell her he would never let her get taken again. Where was he?

"Alex..." Mia said quietly, leaning against the wall and shuddering. She didn't want to think of anything bad happening to him. Why did the Proxians have to take him as well? They should have left him home in Imil so that he wouldn't have to suffer like she was. "I hope you're okay," said Mia, praying with all her heart that it was true.

* * *

As Alex awoke, he found himself staring at a plain white ceiling. For a moment, he wondered where he had woken up, not used to the unfamiliar setting around him. Alex gently pushed himself up on his elbows and slowly looked around, his memory returning to him. He had spent the night in the warriors' lodgings, after agreeing to join the Proxian force. The bed made a nice change to a ship on a rough sea or a freezing cold cell. Maybe he could get used to this new lifestyle. His bed was lined up in a neat row with identical beds on either side, a similar row on the other side of the room. As Alex relished the feeling of waking up after a good night's sleep, he guiltily wondered how Mia would feel when she heard about this. 

Alex leaped out of bed, looking down at the new clothes that he had worn to bed. These clothes were much nicer than what he had worn in Imil, when he was only a common palace servant, and he was quite impressed. The warriors were obviously treated well in Prox. This city did seem like a nice place after all, he might even fit into the community.

Some community it had to be, a place that took in slaves, Alex thought to himself with a rueful smile. He had heard talk of Adept children being abducted from a place known as Vale eight years before, being forced to help build the city when it was just a poor, struggling village full of starving people who were not as well off as they were now.

It seemed those slaves had done a good job with Prox. The place was much nicer than Imil and even bigger than he could possibly have imagined. Prox obviously had wealth at its disposal and the people here seemed happy with their lives. Even if the people running this city were a little crooked, at least the residents appreciated what they did for them. Alex wondered how many places they must have plundered to gain the vast wealth they had.

As he tidied himself up and brushed his hair, Alex decided that he would tell Mia today about joining with Prox. She deserved to know about it and she would surely be happy to see that he was well and nothing had happened to him.

Alex casually strolled out of the warriors' residence and walked across the street, seeking out the grey prison building. He spotted it soon enough and approached, nodding curtly at the Proxian guards. Most of the Proxians knew about him now and he was free to go around and do as he pleased, so long as he didn't leave the city. He was also certainly not allowed to free Mia, not that he would be foolish enough to try.

One of the guards nodded back and gestured at the door. Alex smartly opened it and walked through, shutting it behind him. He traversed the corridors of the building, trying to remember where Mia had been placed. Soon enough, Alex found the cell where Mia had been placed.

* * *

Mia was slightly alarmed to hear the sound of the bolt sliding back since she had already been served her morning meal. Mia got to her feet and turned around cautiously, expecting to see a Proxian come through the door. However, it was not a Proxian who walked through the door but Alex himself. A relieved smile spread across her face and her heart soared. 

"Alex!" Mia cried, much too loudly as she flung herself upon him in a tight hug. "You're alive! Thank goodness!"

Alex automatically went still out of sheer habit as Mia hugged him. He knew there was no point in acting so formal around her now, they might never be in Imil again, and Mia playing the part of Princess would be a bit strange here. He waited for her to let go and smiled back.

"It's good to see you again," Alex said, feeling relieved as he saw that Mia was perfectly healthy and did not appear to have been harmed. "It seems that the Proxians have been taking care of you."

"They have at least been feeding me," Mia said, brushing back a strand of limp hair from her face as she gazed intently at Alex's face. "So, why are you here? Did you escape from your cell?"

Alex bit his lip nervously. He hadn't been expecting to have to tell her so soon, but he wasn't going to lie to her. "Well, no. I actually didn't escape from my cell."

"Then... why are you out of your cell?" Mia frowned, feeling confused by Alex's words. She hadn't even been out of her own cell yet and Alex was freely walking around. It made no sense. "They aren't letting me out at all. I've been so bored, stuck in here all the time."

"Okay, it's like this. I'm free to walk around as I like," Alex said cautiously, looking away as he was unable to meet her gaze. "I am actually serving Prox now as one of their warriors." He fell silent, closing his eyes, waiting for the inevitable reaction.

Mia's jaw hung open and she stared at Alex in horror, eyes widening. She couldn't have heard that right. No, it wasn't possible. But then how else would Alex be out of his cell? "No..." Mia shook her head, her voice barely above a whisper. "You can't be... serving Prox... fighting for them?"

"I am afraid that I am," Alex said tersely. This was not good. Mia took a step back, her face ashen. "Wait, Mia! Please don't judge me for this. Perhaps if I am to serve them well and prove myself a worthy warrior, they will not hurt you ever or do anything to you. I might be able to protect you and arrange something better than this, living in a squalid cell."

"No!" Mia said again, her voice sounding shrill. She let out a hysterical laugh and put a hand over her mouth, shaking her head again, as she stared at Alex. Letting her hand drop, she exclaimed, "Those Proxians killed my father! Your King! You're serving their leader?"

"I am sorry about this," Alex said in a calm voice, attempting to appease her. He knew she was hurt but surely he could make her understand. "It was the only choice I had. I had to do this for myself as well. Saturos was keeping me in unsuitable conditions and submitting to his will meant that I could be better off."

"You..." Mia trailed off, surging inside with heated fury. She tried to think of a word that could sum up exactly what she was thinking of Alex right now. "You cold-hearted, selfish, traitorous bastard!" Mia cried out, her fury, grief and betrayal leading her to shout words that Imil would be horrified to hear coming out from the mouth of their own Princess. She didn't even want to stop there, she wanted to hurt him.

Alex recoiled in sudden shock as Mia lunged forward and slammed her clenched fist into his nose. She'd never even spoken at him in anger yet now she was even striking him. Alex looked coldly at the angry girl, realising that there was no point in reasoning with her. She would not even listen.

Mia was surprised as well by her sudden violence but she refused to back down, glaring hotly at Alex. She felt no shame as she stared at the man she had once loved, hating him for betraying her city in such a way. His nose was swelling from the blow, a trickle of blood dripping down from one nostril. Alex seemed as if he was about to speak, but instead he reached up and angrily swiped away the blood with a sleeve.

"Get out of here," Mia hissed, clenching her teeth. Her voice was cold and hard as she spoke. "I don't want to talk to a traitor like you. You're just nothing but worthless scum. I'm sorry I ever... loved you..." Her voice broke as she spoke those last two words and she turned away slightly, her expression hardening.

"Mia..." Alex muttered, shaking his head as he realised he had lost one of his closest friends forever. Still, betraying her and facing her wrath was simply the price he had to pay. Perhaps one day she would understand why he did it, but not just yet. He sharply turned out of her cell and slammed the door behind him, drawing forth the bolt with a loud scrape. For a moment he lingered at the door, watching her through the barred window.

"Alex?" Mia said finally, aware that he was still watching her, as she rubbed her slightly throbbing knuckles. She had used so much strength in that single blow, it hurt her fist.

"Yes?" Alex asked tersely, not wishing to have any more insults or harsh words thrown at him. As far as he was concerned, Mia was being childish and stubborn.

"I hate you," Mia said in a cold voice, her eyes closing shut. "Please just get out of my life. Forever."

"With pleasure," Alex spat, storming away from the door and heading toward the exit of the building. He was feeling humiliation for even thinking that Mia might have reacted in a more positive way and now people had to see him like this, his nose red and swollen and blood staining his sleeve. How could he admit to the other warriors a mere girl had drawn blood from him? As well as humiliation, he felt slight anger. How could she not understand anything he'd said? It all made perfect sense to him.

Inside her cell, Mia stared at the window, her entire body trembling as she thought about the past few minutes. Alex, the man she once loved and wanted to marry, he had turned against her and her city, joined with Saturos, and didn't seem to care about what he'd done to her. As well as feeling angry, she had renewed sadness for what she had lost. A former loyal servant... a prospective lover... her childhood friend...

Mia let out an anguished wail and fell to her knees, shaking her head in disbelief. It couldn't be. Alex was working with the Proxians. He meant all of what he had said. Shocked tears streamed down her face and she stared at her shaky hands, tiny sobs erupting from her throat. "Why?" Mia choked out. "Why did you betray me? How could you do this to Imil? You... broke my heart..."

* * *

Once he was outside, Alex stopped and leaned against a tree. He cast a quick Ply upon his swollen nose to relieve the pain as he breathed deeply, inhaling the cold and refreshing air. 

'How could Mia hit me that hard?' Alex wondered bitterly, gazing at the bloodstain upon his sleeve. 'I never thought Mia would ever hit a soul. She was always kind and gentle... she acted like a demon just then. What did I do to deserve being hit like that? Why can't Mia see that I had to join Saturos, that I had no choice?" He let out a sniff of annoyance and his eyes narrowed. 'Well, if she can't see it my way, I no longer care what she thinks.'

Feeling sulky after his encounter, Alex stomped back toward the warriors' residence, hoping that there had been no mark left upon his face from Mia's fist. He had no desire to go around with a bruise and have warriors laughing at him, thinking that he had already been hit in battle. It would be even worse if they knew he got hit by a girl.

* * *

"Oh, wow!" Garet exclaimed as he leaned out of the ship and gazed at all the other ships docked alongside the large river leading toward Prox. "Hey, Isaac!" Garet yelled, looking up. "See all those cool looking ships there?" 

"Yes, Garet, of course I can see them!" Isaac shouted down at him in exasperation. "I saw them a long time before you ever did. I'm not just up here to get a suntan!"

"I think we're meant to dock here," Felix said as he looked around at the ships that surrounded them. "We should be getting off here, I suppose. Wouldn't be a good idea to get too close to Prox just yet."

"I don't think we should be rushing in there though," Isaac called as he began descending from the crow's nest, holding tightly as the ship bumped against a wooden pier. As Isaac climbed the rest of the way down, Garet grabbed the rope used to secure the ship, tying it tightly around one of the wooden posts on the dock.

"You don't think we should be going in there yet?" Felix asked as Isaac ran up to them, looking slightly breathless from his quick descent. "You sure were in a hurry to get down."

Isaac paused to catch his breath, leaning over on his knees before straightening himself. "I just really think that we should wait a while."

"What?" Garet exclaimed, staring at Isaac in shock. "You're actually suggesting that we wait, after we've come all this way? Are you nuts?" He was about to speak again but Felix held up a hand, silencing him.

"Let's just hear what Isaac has to say before you chew him out," said Felix, looking intently at Isaac. "So why do you think we need to wait?"

"We aren't just going to walk in there and out with a bunch of people," Isaac said, shaking his head. "That would be way too simple. These are strong warriors that we are dealing with, Mars Adepts. What if they don't want the people they took to be rescued? You know that we have to be careful."

"Yeah, we know that," Felix said. "We all know that it won't be as easy as it sounds." He sighed and turned to look at the distant city of Prox, a mere speck on the horizon. "The security might be pretty good too. I think if we're going to go in there, it would be best to do it at night."

"Night?" Garet groaned, not liking the prospect of having to wait. It was still early in the day, night seemed so far away. "But why do we have to wait until it's night?"

"Because people sleep at night," Isaac said calmly, looking straight at Garet with narrowed eyes.

"That should have been obvious," Felix murmured under his breath. He knew that Garet was not the brightest but sometimes Garet was still capable of surprising them. He exhaled and nodded decisively. "We're going to wait until nightfall then go in."

"And then what should we do?" Garet asked nervously. He had no idea what they would do once they went in that place.

"We're just going to have to wing it and see what happens," Felix said. It wasn't the most careful or foolproof plan, but it was the best one they had.

"That sounds like something I would come up with," Garet grumbled. Felix mock glared at him, pretending to look affronted.

"We're doomed," Isaac said, earning another glare from Felix. "So, I wonder how we should be spending our day? It might be a good idea to stake out the place, get a good look at the city from close by. We need to know what to expect and where we're going."

"Sounds like a plan," Felix said, nodding. "We should keep out of sight though, might not be good if we get seen. That's why we need the cover of night if we'll be sneaking around and trying to get people out."

"I hope this goes well," Garet said anxiously, staring at the city. "I really want to save my sister and everyone else. But if you two think it's a good idea to wait then I'll do it with you, but I'd still prefer to just go in there and save them all, you know?"

"Very good," Isaac said, smiling. Garet knew better than to go against them and worst of all, follow his own lead. "Now before we go over there, let's have some food first. Build up our strength if we need it." He turned and walked toward the cabin, whistling a tune as he did so.

"How can you be so cheerful?" Garet demanded as he followed him, shaking his head at Isaac's behaviour. "Right now, I just feel like my stomach is being eaten up by huge, evil moths with big teeth!" His voice faded away as he disappeared into the ship's cabin along with Isaac.

Now Felix was the only one on the deck, not feeling so much like eating and certainly not as cheerful as Isaac was. The fact he was so close to Prox right now was the only thing on his mind and it was difficult to ignore. Jenna might actually be there in that city, so close yet so far away at the same time. He really had no idea how their mission would go and hoped it would be a success. It had to work out, they needed to bring home the people from Vale and perhaps those two from Imil if they had the chance.

'As long as they are still alive.' As soon as the dark thought entered his mind, he shook his head and pushed it away, not wishing to dwell upon it. Of course everybody had to still be alive in there, they would all be fine, waiting to be saved. If he kept believing that then maybe he could be more confident. Felix found it difficult to shake off the nervous feeling. He took one more look at the city of Prox, feeling apprehensive about what was lying in wait.

"I hope you're there, Jenna," Felix murmured. "Just wait for us. It won't be much longer now. We're going to save you this time."

A movement in the corner of Felix's eye caught his attention and he turned his head, but all he saw was someone hurrying across the snow to Prox and disappearing inside the city. The speed at which the person had moved bothered him. Why did they need to move so fast? For that matter, who were they? Could it be a Proxian who had overheard or seen them and gone back to report? If Prox heard of the plan, then things could be far more difficult for them.

Felix realised he was worrying too much again and shook his head, trying to push away his fears. He turned away and walked toward the cabin to join Isaac and Garet. Everything was going to go fine, it had to. He couldn't keep worrying so much. Being confident about it was surely the best way to go about things.

* * *

The girl walked steadily through the city, a smile on her face as she reached up and pulled the dark pink goggles from her face, removing the disguise that she had chosen to wear out of the city. She promptly tucked the goggles into the belt around her waist and stopped, looking back over her shoulder toward the docks. 

'So, they are going to be infiltrating Prox in the night?' she thought to herself, tilting her head. Her red-brown hair spilled over her shoulder as her head moved. A burly warrior grunted as he shoved past her, but she paid him no heed. 'Interesting. Nobody's tried such a thing before. Rescuing the slaves? Now that's a fine plan.'

Maybe they needed a little help if they wanted to pull off such a thing. Her brown eyes gleamed with anticipation as she disappeared into the crowd, her mind already working on the perfect plan. Prox had little use for the slaves anymore, with their city already so large and splendid, so there wouldn't be as much trouble taking them home contrary to popular belief, but that girl... she wanted them to save her.

* * *

Saturos was as usual pleased with himself and his hard work, as he surveyed the treasure displayed in front of him. The collected riches of Imil had been placed in storage until they decided what to do with them, perhaps to sell or to keep. Selling treasure meant getting money, but it was also nice to have something to boast about if they kept the treasure instead. It was a matter of deciding what was worth keeping or selling. 

"I see that Imil loved their gold," Saturos commented, reaching out to pick up a long gold sceptre with a five point star at the tip, encrusted with shining rubies. He smiled as he turned it around in his hands. "Now the gold is ours and Prox thrives as always."

"Are you talking to yourself again, Saturos?" asked an exasperated voice as someone entered the room behind him. Saturos turned to see a tall, blonde Proxian woman with light pink skin. At her hip, she held a formidable looking scythe.

"Nice to see you too, Menardi," Saturos said with a light hint of sarcasm as he avoided rising to the bait, placing the sceptre back down. "I was simply looking over the riches that we collected from Imil."

"Well, I can see you got some nice looking stuff," Menardi commented, her crimson eyes roving over the mounds of treasure. "So, bring any captives, or did you simply revel in a giant bloodfest?"

"Hey, we didn't kill that many people," Saturos said, looking slightly offended. "Just the ones who were stupid enough to fight back. We lost some of our own as well actually, which is a shame. It was quite an interesting trip. You should have come with us."

"Well, I told you why I couldn't come." Menardi reached up and flipped back her hair over her shoulder, fixing him with a piercing stare. "Karst took a little turn for the worse so I had to stay with her until she recovered. I can't just go off on your city raids while she's so ill. If she died while I was away, I could never forgive myself. She has been kind of dependent on me since our parents died."

"Karst has always been somewhat weak," Saturos said with a slight hint of regret in his voice. "Catching even the smallest colds. I bet she could have been a good warrior like you, but even the smallest infection could be harmful to her."

"Let's stop talking about Karst," Menardi said with a slight huff, not wishing to linger on the subject of her sickly younger sister. "There's nothing we can do about her condition at this time. So did you bring anyone along from Imil or not?"

"Well, yes, as a matter of fact, I did," Saturos said. "I brought the Princess of Imil along, a pretty little girl named Mia, and some friend of hers, probably a servant from the palace. His name is Alex and he is now working for us as a warrior. I do hope that he will serve us well."

"Seriously?" Menardi exclaimed, raising a slender eyebrow. "So you plundered his hometown and he's suddenly willing to work for you? What did you do to him?"

"Oh, nothing much," Saturos said, turning around and looking at her out of the corner of his eye as he let out an uncomfortable cough. "Just let him sleep in a really cold cell for one night. He didn't really like it and wanted the chance of sleeping in a proper bed. It did the trick, didn't it?"

"You are so sly sometimes," Menardi said with a catty smirk as she approached the display. She curiously picked up a piece of parchment wrapped around a gold bar. Menardi unrolled the parchment and carefully studied the writing on it. "So, this came from Imil as well?"

"Of course it did," Saturos said patiently, glancing at the scroll in Menardi's hand. "Everything that's on this table was from there, we don't mix the treasure. Is that a scroll? It's probably nothing but rubbish. Whoever even bothered to take it in the first place needs a good talking to and some common sense."

"Saturos, listen to this," Menardi said intently as she reread the scroll. "Luna's tears give shape to night, while Sol's molten fires create the day. The sun is fire, the moon is water. On the union of day and night, power is born and given to the one who willingly takes. If they conflict, one must triumph for power. The two will meet upon the sacred peak."

"Load of old rubbish," Saturos said in derision, shaking his head. "I suppose I shall look at it later, but right now it isn't worth attention. Just put it back and forget about it."

"Okay, fine." Menardi shrugged as she carefully rolled up the scroll and replaced it. "I have a strange feeling it means something. You're just a fool not to see it." She threw him a mischievious smile.

"Why are you the only person who gets away with calling me names like that?" Saturos shook his head as he smiled back.

Menardi did not say anything, she simply just smirked. Of course she was the only person who could get away with teasing him. They had a close friendship, having grown up together in the city that was once a poor village, and they had trained together underneath the same teacher to become strong and powerful warriors.

* * *

A long way away across the sea upon the far off continent of Atteka, where the Jupiter Adepts resided in the peaceful town of Contigo, one such Jupiter Adept was having a vision. She was powerful and a fine example of her clan, with the power to control the wind to such extremes as well as to foresee anything coming. At the moment, her gift was rivalled only by a certain younger Wind Adept. 

Hama was sitting quietly upon a wooden bench, just by the boundaries of the village, gazing out across the landscape. It was tranquil here and she liked to look out of the village and at the spreading fields and forests. It had a calming effect on her as she viewed nature and she needed it right now as she thought about the premonition she just had.

Her brow was creased in a light frown as she ran the premonition through her mind again, recalling every word and action she had seen. It was not so difficult to understand it and the meaning was clear. She could see fearsome warriors marching into Contigo and the reasons for coming. They were planning to seek out a Wind Adept for a particular reason. She would be taken away. If anybody tried to get in the way, they could be hurt.

'I'll have to let this happen,' Hama thought, shaking her head in defeat. 'They will expect to find someone but the people will try to stop them. I can't risk anybody getting hurt. There must be something I can do.'

"Is something wrong, Hama?" a gentle voice asked, breaking into her thoughts. Hama turned to see Ivan approaching and she saw that he was looking worried. Clearly, he had sensed her own feelings. "You're worried about something, aren't you? I can feel it."

"Don't worry, Ivan," Hama said gently, placing a hand on his shoulder. "It was just a premonition. You will know about it soon enough."

* * *

Night could not come soon enough for the three Adepts who had been waiting throughout the day, watching Prox from afar and wishing that night would come quicker. The day had seemed slow and enduring to them. 

Garet would have happily gone off into the city during one of his bouts of sudden impatience so that he could go and find the captives, but he knew he had to stay with Isaac and Felix. As the evening fell, Felix wondered if it would be safe to go in then but he supposed that it was best to go in underneath the cover of true darkness, so he continued waiting.

During the long wait, Isaac had been the most patient, not having any relatives in there that he was desperate to save. Of course, he wanted to help them save the other Valeans, but there was no single person that made him desperate enough to want to go in early. He was concerned Garet or Felix might try to go in too soon, but fortunately, neither of them even tried to do so, so he didn't have to play mediator.

"So, do you think it's dark enough yet, guys?" Garet asked, staring at the silvery moon as it rose up against the dark blue sky. It was becoming more difficult to see things in the distance now and the sky was rapidly growing darker.

"Well, I think we can certainly try it now," Felix said, glancing at the city of Prox in the distance. The lights had gone up by now, when the poles were lit on fire, and the city was now lit in dancing, flickering flames. "Ready?"

"Of course I am ready," Garet said, rising to his feet and rubbing his numb backside with a grimace. It wasn't exactly pleasant to be sitting anywhere. He had been sitting on a snow covered log for some time. Isaac and Felix weren't much better off, also sitting on logs sprawled across the snow. "I was always ready."

"I am definitely ready," Isaac offered, smiling slightly at Garet's impatience. "Let's go in there and hope that we don't attract too much attention."

"We might attract attention for not looking like Proxians," Felix said, also getting up and brushing snow off his clothes. "Hopefully they get visitors often."

"It's a bit out of the way for visitors, but it's worth hoping for," Isaac said as he stood. "Anyway, from what we saw of the city before, we saw some normal looking people, so we might be able to fit in."

"Perhaps if they don't see us entering, they won't be suspicious," Felix suggested, glancing at the entrance to the city. "But then again, if we get caught sneaking in, that would be even worse, wouldn't it?"

"Oh, come on, you guys!" Garet exclaimed, groaning at what he saw as mere stalling. "Let's just get the heck in there already and take a look around. They aren't going to kill us just for entering the city!"

"I don't know, you seem like the type who can get yourself killed," Felix said, glancing at Garet.

"Excuse me!" Garet exclaimed, bristling with annoyance. "Maybe you two are just too paranoid. Don't you even want to save them?"

"Of course we want to save them," Isaac said in a patient voice. "But whether we rush in or take our time, it could mean the difference between life and death. If we all got killed, who would take them home?"

"You know, how are we supposed to take a lot of people out of the city without attracting attention?" Felix asked suddenly. "Do we know how many people were taken from there? I'm thinking maybe ten, fifteen... a lot of children were taken."

"We knew we were going to have to do that," Garet said, his face falling as he thought about it. "Wait... so what are you saying?"

"We might not be able to rescue everyone," Isaac said quietly, a pensive look on his face. "Maybe we have to be selective. A huge crowd walking out will catch their attention. For all we know, they could all be guarded as well."

"It is a flawed plan," Felix said heavily, glancing at Prox with a worried expression. "We don't know exactly where they would be located in the city and... we don't even know who is alive on top of that."

"This was a crap plan from the beginning," Garet said loudly. "It doesn't matter if we're careful or not, we'll just go in there on a suicide mission and see who we can save. The important thing is that we get our people home."

"It won't be suicide," Isaac said firmly, glancing sharply at Garet. "None of us are going to die. We are going to be extremely careful when we go around that big city. I think what we could do is ask around... someone there might be willing to answer questions. The important thing is that we're discreet."

"So... what exactly do we do now?" Felix wondered.

The three of them walked across the snow and came to a stop, watching the bustling city, flaring up with torches against the dark night. People were walking through the streets, talking and laughing, completely unaware of the three warriors standing outside the city. All they saw were Proxians everywhere, unable to catch a glimpse of anyone else beyond the tall buildings and crowds.

* * *

"It is a fine night tonight, isn't it?" asked one of the Proxian guards, standing by the door to the prison. He glanced at his companion and let out a sigh. "Sucks that we have to stand here all night instead of sleeping in a nice cosy bed." 

"Oh, you're just lazy, Melkos," scoffed the other guard, a smirk spread across his yellowish face. "Whatever would Saturos think if he heard that you were complaining about your duty?"

"Is that meant to be some kind of idle threat?" Melkos glared at him out of the corner of his eye. "I always knew you were kind of shifty, Kantor."

"Hey, now, I like a good night's sleep as much as the next person but you won't see me whining about..." Kantor broke off as a redhaired girl walked up to them, clasping an envelope in her hands. She was clearly not a Proxian. "What do you want, slave?"

"I have a letter to deliver to the Princess," the girl said without missing a beat, levelly meeting Kantor's gaze. "It comes from the warrior named Alex."

"So Alex thought he would give a letter to his friend?" Melkos sneered. "Why would he not see her in person?"

"He told me he was too busy training to become a warrior and had no time to deliver it himself," the girl replied, her voice only sounding slightly nervous. "Do you think I wanted to do his work for him?"

"Alright, fine, go on in," Kantor snapped, opening the door. "No funny tricks. If you try freeing that girl, we will cut you down right at the door."

"There's no way that slave would be so foolish," Melkos chuckled as the girl disappeared inside the prison. "Everybody here understands the might of Prox. Nobody will ever be able to break that girl out as long as she's contained in here."

* * *

Once inside, she let out a small sigh of relief. The hard part was over now. If she did this next bit right, it should be easy. The envelope fell to the floor as she ran through the corridors of the prison, seeking out the cell where the Princess was held. 

She found her soon enough, sitting inside her cell and gazing into empty space. It had to be dull for her, stuck in there all the time with nothing to do. It was time that changed.

Mia looked up in surprise as the bolt was drawn back and the door pulled open. She automatically tensed, fearing that it might be Alex. Surely he wouldn't be foolish enough to come back after all those things she had said to him?

It was not Alex standing in the doorway. Mia rose to her feet, looking in consternation at the redheaded girl who stood there. She was clearly not a Proxian and she had no armour, just simple, plain clothes.

"Who are you?" asked Mia, walking over to look at the girl, noting that she was about her age. It surprised her to think that there were people so young in a place like this. How long had she been here?

"My name's... Jenna," the girl replied, sounding slightly hesitant. She didn't even smile as she introduced herself, reaching for Mia's arm. "Let's go."

Mia felt a yank on her arm and realised that she was being pulled out of her cell. "Wait, where are you taking me?" she asked anxiously.

"Quiet," Jenna hissed in a warning voice as she pulled Mia along through the building. "Can't you tell I'm trying to get you out of here? Sheesh, what did you think I was doing?"

Mia pressed her lips together, biting back the urge to retort. They came to a stop by the exit and Jenna turned around, beckoning for Mia to hold out her hand. Mia hesitated but did so, watching as she placed a small crystal in her palm.

"It's an item that draws from your Psynergy," Jenna whispered. "It can cloak you with an invisibility shield, but for as long as you use it, it drains your power. Nobody will be able to see you if you use it. Try it."

Mia closed her eyes and concentrated, willing for the mysterious item to hide her. When she next opened her eyes, a thin veil hung around her. She felt an odd sensation like something trickling from her body. A hand grasped her arm and she tensed.

"Keep quiet, just move. Follow me when we get out of the building," Jenna told her as she pushed open the door. The Proxian guards looked in then shrugged and stepped aside. With a forceful shove, Mia was pushed out into the snow, walking forward and whirling around in consternation as she looked at the city around her.

"Delivered the letter, then?" Kantor asked as Jenna stepped out. "Now be off on your way, slave."

"Hey, Kantor..." Melkos said slowly, a few minutes after Jenna had walked away. "It's snowing right now... so footprints from earlier today should be hidden, right?"

"What's your point?" Kantor demanded, staring at the snow covered ground. "There are footprints there anyway."

"There's one pair of footprints going in there and two going out," Melkos said.

"What?" Kantos yelled. He wasted no time in flinging open the door and storming through the prison. Melkos waited for his return with bated breath. his wide eyes fixed fast on the footprints. How could it even be possible? He heard the sound of returning footsteps and looked up.

"Well?" Melkos croaked out, feeling that he was about to hear some bad news.

"She's gone," Kantos said stonily. "The Princess is gone. But she won't have gone far. We have to raise the alarm."

"Right." Melkos nodded. "We have to alert the others."

* * *

"Are we safe yet?" Mia asked, watching as Jenna pulled out a pair of goggles from her belt and placed them upon her face. She glanced back at the city behind her, biting her lip. Were they really going to be able to get away? 

"Hold on," Jenna said, taking the crystal out of Mia's hand and tossing it into the snow. The veil around Mia disappeared and she was visible again. "Won't be needing that anymore. We've got to find them."

"Okay," Mia muttered as she followed Jenna across the snow. In the distance, she caught sight of three figures standing near the city's entrance. "Who are those people? They aren't Proxians, are they?"

"They are our ticket to freedom," replied Jenna as she slowly walked toward the trio, watching them carefully as well as keeping a careful gaze on the city. If the alarm was raised too soon, it could be too late to get away.

* * *

"So, I think we should just go in now," Garet said, glancing at Isaac and Felix. "There's no point in waiting any longer." 

"You're right. It's now or never," Isaac said, nodding with determination as he gazed at the city before him. "We'll just walk in there, talk to people and take a look around."

"Good luck to us..." Felix muttered, taking a few steps forward. Garet also started moving as they headed toward the city. None of the group was aware of the person sneaking quietly up behind Isaac, the snow muffling their footsteps.

Isaac was just about to start walking, when a dagger was suddenly held against his neck. He froze, letting out a shout as he became consciously aware of the dangerous weapon held at his throat.

"Don't take another step forward!" a voice cried out, causing the other two to halt in their tracks.


	10. Chapter 10

**Vision**

* * *

This chapter should answer the question of whether a certain change (as in someone's identity being known to the reader) affects the story. They still don't know somehow... well, at least she's masked this time. It was kind of a plothole when she wasn't... 

But, eh, if you didn't read the original and have no idea what I'm talking about, don't worry about it.

Camelot owns Golden Sun.

* * *

At the sound of Isaac's shout as well as the commanding voice, Felix and Garet turned around in surprise to see Isaac standing still, his eyes fixed on the knife at his throat. In the darkness, they couldn't make out the person standing behind him, all they saw was a shadowed figure holding the knife. 

"A Proxian?" Garet yelled, his hand straying to the sword at his hip.

"Garet, stop!" Felix exclaimed, causing Garet to stop and give him a confused look. "Isaac's got a knife at his throat and you're just going to charge the person down?"

Garet gulped, realising exactly why it would be a bad move, and sighed in annoyance as he moved his hand away. He looked concernedly at his best friend, hoping that the person wasn't planning to cut his throat.

"Very good," said the person, sounding pleased that Garet had backed down. "Now, listen very carefully. If you follow my orders properly, then I won't have to cut his throat."

"What do you want?" Isaac asked, swallowing nervously. One false move and he would die. That was not a pleasant experience in the least. He wondered who could be so desperate to stop them from entering Prox. Surely, the Proxians wouldn't go to such lengths to prevent people from coming into their city?

"Here's what we're going to do," the mysterious person spoke, pulling Isaac back. "We are going to walk all the way back to that boat and you'll leave. Is that clear? You return to your boat with me."

"Why do you want us to go back?" Garet exclaimed in shock. How could this be happening? They had come all this way to rescue their friends and now they were being forced out? They couldn't even fight with Isaac in danger. "After all we've done to get here..."

"Let's just do it," Felix said grimly, his eyes fixed on the wavering dagger. "I don't think we have a choice. We'll walk back to the ship like the person says."

* * *

Mia walked unsteadily over the snow as she followed the group, her mind spinning in confusion. She could hardly believe that the same girl who had rescued her from that cell would hold a knife to someone's throat. As she walked along, her gaze fixed upon Jenna pulling along the hostage, it became somewhat clear. 

Perhaps this was a way to get them to rescue her without any trouble. Those warriors must have come to Prox to do something, whatever it was, and they had no time to waste. Her escape could have been discovered by now so urgency was required. Still, seeing Jenna take such action shocked Mia. Why was she doing this?

Mia glanced back over her shoulder, looking toward the distant city behind her, and a chill ran through her body as she saw people at the entrance, lit up by the visible torches. Perhaps they were coming out to look for her. She gulped nervously and quickened her pace, keeping up with the group. The warriors were unaware of her presence just yet in the darkness and her feet could not be heard in the snow.

As they approached the dock, she would sure she could hear a voice from a distance. Someone was definitely coming, but at least they had reached the ship in time. Mia's escape had been quickly discovered as she thought it would be. There really had been no time for Jenna to explain anything and ask for help.

* * *

Upon reaching the ship, Jenna pulled away the knife and quickly stepped back. Isaac turned around and looked at her, his face changing to one of surprise as he realised that the person who had held him was a girl and certainly not a Proxian. It was obvious enough in the pale moonlight. 

"You... who are you?" Isaac asked, once he had got over the shock.

"Hey, she's no Proxian," Garet said, walking over and standing next to his friend. He looked suspiciously at Jenna. "What were you playing at back there? And what is up with that mask you're wearing?"

"You're right, I'm not a Proxian," Jenna said, slipping the dagger back into the belt and folding her arms across her chest. "I am simply a slave. As for the mask, a girl's got to have secrets." She looked at them intently, wondering where these young warriors might be from. They couldn't be possibly be much older than her either. It was strange to see them in a place like this, but they had a purpose for coming.

"So, is it your job to stop people from entering the city or something?" Felix asked nervously. If this girl was actually trying to keep them away from Prox... they couldn't just turn back. Everyone needed to be rescued. His sister... Garet's sister... everyone else... Vale was waiting for them to come back.

"No. Of course not," Jenna said, frowning. She could hear a voice in the distance, loud and clear. Someone was definitely coming. There was no time to waste. "I'm sure you've got a perfectly good reason for coming to a place like this, but..."

"But what?" Garet exclaimed. "We've got to save everyone from Vale! They have been waiting for us to come. We're not going to give up on them now!"

"Vale?" Jenna repeated quietly, freezing to the spot. She recalled that name somewhat. Her memory was still lost, but all these years, people had been telling her she came from a place by that name. Constantly trying to remind her of a past she was struggling to remember... she was tired of it. Tired of being under pressure, constantly asked if anything had come back to her... she hated it.

"Everyone! Please stop arguing!" Mia exclaimed, hurrying over to the group. Isaac, Garet and Felix were startled by her sudden appearance, not having noticed her standing nearby. "She just wants you to rescue me! Please don't be hard on her!"

"Who are you?" Isaac asked in surprise, staring at her. For some reason, he was unable to take his eyes away. Her hair was a striking shade of aquamarine, an unusual hair colour he had never seen before. As he looked at her elegant dress, it struck him. "Hold on... you couldn't be..."

"I am Mia, the Princess of Imil," Mia said. "Imil was attacked by Prox and they brought me here. I was being held prisoner in one of their cells. It seems you came to free other people though. I'm sorry if it seems like I'm trying to get in the way, I..."

"The Princess..." Isaac repeated quietly, still staring at her. Somehow, he thought, she seemed familiar, but how could that be possible? He had never been to Imil before and he was pretty sure nobody from Imil had ever visited Vale. Mia's gaze met his and he quickly looked away, trying not to stare at her any longer.

"So that's why we couldn't go into Prox?" Felix asked. Jenna simply nodded. He let out a small sigh and looked over at Mia, feeling just a little disappointed. Of course, they would have to get her to safety, but that meant giving up on the Valeans for now. Hopefully, something could be worked out.

"Hey, guys, I think somebody's coming," Garet said, noticing a faint silhouette quickly moving toward them, faintly visible in the moonlight. "Probably a Proxian wanting their escaped captive back."

"You see why we needed to move quickly?" Jenna asked, as the boys quickly reached for their swords. "If we were still standing outside the city, they could have set a bunch of warriors on us in so little time." She swiftly pulled the dagger from her belt and advanced. "I might as well help. Let's make this quick."

As the group prepared for battle, the Proxian soldier approached and stood his ground, his crimson eyes passing over them. He let out a soft chuckle and reached for the sword buckled to his hip.

"I wasn't expecting to see this many," said the soldier, shaking his head. He pulled out the sword with a loud scraping sound, not once looking away from his opponents. "No problem. I should be able to take you all down easily and then I will be taking that Princess back. Now prepare to face the might of Terazon!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Terazon charged, letting out a battle cry as he aimed his sword. Felix stepped forward first, his sword clashing sharply against the Proxian's. As he struggled to hold it away, Isaac quickly cast Quake. Terazon was knocked off balance as the ground shook beneath his feet and almost fell backward. That was all Felix needed to slash at his chest and knock him back.

"He doesn't seem that tough," Garet remarked, casting Flare. However, his Psynergy did not even seem to affect Terazon. The Proxian soldier let out a chuckle of amusement, and retaliated with a blast of flames, causing Garet to cry out in pain and recoil, shocked at how much the fire had hurt him.

"Garet, why don't you stick to using your sword. It might be somewhat more useful," Felix suggested, earning an annoyed look from his comrade. Garet muttered something unintelligible under his breath as he recovered from the blow and stepped forward again, sword at the ready, as he prepared to defend himself against another attack.

Jenna leaped forward, quickly running over the snow as she readied her dagger. Terazon turned to face her and growled, raising his sword and bringing it down upon her. Jenna hurriedly ducked aside to avoid the blow and lunged, sinking the dagger into an exposed part of his scaly flesh.

"Damn you!" Terazon exclaimed, hissing in pain. He swung a fist in retaliation, catching her sharply on the jaw before she could react. Jenna hit the snow with a soft gasp, momentarily stunned from the blow. The soldier slammed a foot into her chest, smirking as he started pressing down on her ribs.

"Take this!" Isaac shouted, quickly running at Terazon and slashing with his sword. Terazon growled and backed off, parrying Isaac's sword with his own. Jenna groaned and rolled over, wincing in pain, while Isaac continued to exchange blows with the Proxian and push him further back.

"Are you hurt?" Mia asked, rushing to Jenna's side. Jenna gritted her teeth and shook her head.

"I'm fine," Jenna gasped out, pressing a hand against her bruised chest. "Just... really hurts... that's all."

"Here, let me heal you," Mia said, holding up a hand. Her hand glowed with a soft blue light and an aura of Psynergy flowed around her. Immediately, Jenna began to feel better, thanks to her healing powers. "Please, try and be more careful."

"Thanks," Jenna said quietly, getting to her feet and picking up the dagger. Her pride was somewhat wounded due to being taken down by what she considered an amateur move. She needed to be more careful, or else she would just be a hindrance to the people she was trying to help.

"Hey, you. You should stay out of this if the best you can do is almost wind up with broken ribs," Garet said, looking at her with mild scorn. Jenna gritted her teeth, looking at him with an irritated expression he couldn't see too well behind the mask.

"Oh, really? And who just tried to hit the guy with his own element and then get hurt by it?" Jenna asked snappishly. "You don't even know who you're dealing with!"

"Well, at least I didn't get floored and stomped on," Garet retaliated. Jenna was about to make a retort, when Isaac shouted out and reminded them they were supposed to be in the midst of battle and this was certainly no time to be arguing.

"This is such a dull battle," Terazon said, sneering as he fired a roll of flames at Isaac. Isaac gasped as the flames singed his arm and clutched the burn, stumbling back as he eyed his opponent nervously. "I should just finish this already," said the Proxian.

"We'll be the ones finishing this!" Felix exclaimed, casting Quake Sphere from the side. Isaac took advantage of Terazon's lack of balance and lashed out with his feet, sending the Proxian crashing to the ground. As he struggled back to his feet, Felix leaped forward and slashed with his sword, catching his opponent in the side.

"Heh, it's gonna take more than a few pesky kids to beat me!" Terazon spat, getting back to his feet and clutching his side. "You truly have no idea of the strength of Prox. Let me teach you!" He raised a hand and glowed with Psynergy. Plumes of flame shot out from the ground, engulfing the two Venus Adepts.

"He's strong," Felix gasped out, stumbling back and casting Cure upon himself. Isaac followed suit with the same method. "There's got to be a way that we can defeat this guy. For the moment, we just have to keep fighting."

"His Psynergy's the real danger," Isaac said, narrowing his eyes as he stared at Terazon. "It's really powerful... and fire is not favourable to us in the least. I think if we put all our focus onto physical attacks, we can do it."

Garet came next, charging at Terazon from behind. The Proxian soldier swung around, his sword clashing against Garet's. Garet grunted, straining against him as he searched for an opening. The Proxian's armour was made of thick, shiny metal and certainly was not easy to penetrate.

Suddenly, a flurry of ice struck Terazon full on, causing him to shout out in pain and stumble. Garet quickly took the opportunity to kick aside Terazon's sword and thrust his own sword forward, driving it into the opening below his opponent's chestplate. Terazon retched and coughed up blood as Garet quickly pulled it out and stepped back.

"The Proxians' weakness is water," Mia said, as Terazon cursed and clutched his bleeding wound, his hand rapidly becoming stained crimson. "Water opposes fire, so naturally, it's harmful to them. I can control the element of water."

"He's weak. Let's hurry and finish this," Felix said, charging at Terazon. With his wound, the Proxian was slower to react. A scream of pain followed as Felix slashed heavily at his sword arm. The sword fell onto the snow with a dull thud and Terazon sank to his knees, blood dripping from the deep wound on his wrist.

"Damn it. I would have won if it wasn't for that Water Adept... I had no idea... the Princess harnessed that much power..." Terazon spat. He shuddered and coughed up further blood. "Fine, take her. We only wanted her for her value anyway. We have enough treasure as it is."

"Should we finish him off?" Garet asked, backing away and looking questioningly at Isaac and Felix.

"No, he's surrendered already," Isaac said, glancing at the wounded Proxian. Indeed, he seemed to have lost the will to continue fighting them. "There's no need to do anything else to him."

"Let's hurry and get on the ship in case anybody else comes," Felix said. "Even if he surrendered, Prox might still attempt to come and take her back."

Mia glanced over at Jenna, who was standing away from the group and staring awkwardly at the ground. She walked over and took hold of her arm, causing Jenna to look up quickly as if startled. "You're coming too, aren't you?"

"Well..." Jenna said awkwardly, looking over at Isaac, Garet and Felix. She certainly didn't want to return to Prox and stay there, even if it meant leaving behind everyone else who had been trying to help her remember through all these years. These people had come to rescue Kay and everyone else, and she had ended up interrupting it... would it be selfish to go off with them and be rescued, while everyone else stayed and waited?

Still, Prox might no longer be a safe place to remain. She had been the only one seen leaving the jail when helping Mia escape. Either way, it seemed there was little choice. Jenna understood she couldn't just turn back.

"You can come with us," Isaac said, glancing at Felix and Garet. "Right?"

"I don't have any problem with it," Felix said.

"Yeah. Me neither," Garet said. "I guess since she tried to help us out with beating up that guy, she's not so bad."

"Alright," Jenna said quietly. "I'll come. At least I won't be a slave to Prox anymore."

The group of five hurriedly boarded the ship. Terazon could only watch on as the ship pulled away from the dock and began to move along the river, away from the city. Eventually, he got to his feet and painfully walked back to Prox to report on the escape. He was ashamed about being a total failure, and was sure he deserved whatever punishment he would get.

"This is a nice ship," Mia commented, walking across the deck and looking around in amazement. "I've never seen a ship like this before."

"Yeah, we've had comments about it being unique before," Isaac said. "We didn't make the ship though. It was given to us."

"Well, I think you got a good ship," Mia said, smiling at Isaac. "Oh... I'm sorry about getting in the way of your rescue operation, everyone. You wanted to save some other people, didn't you?"

"Eh, we can try again," Garet said, sitting on a barrel and staring at his feet. "It's not like they are going anywhere, is it?" Despite the front he was putting on, he dreaded the thought of going back to Vale and telling everyone the rescue had been delayed because they rescued someone else.

"So... you were trying to save people from... Vale, was it?" Jenna asked awkwardly. These people were from there, weren't they? Then she had probably known them a long time ago, before she lost her entire memory. If she revealed who she was... no, what was the point of it? Without her memory, it didn't feel right and again she would be pressured into remembering. Why couldn't she do it by herself?

"Are they people from your hometown?" Mia asked gently. Isaac nodded. "I see... well, hopefully, you'll get another chance soon."

"Years ago, all the children except us were taken," Isaac said, shivering as he recalled that terrible day. Silence had fallen over the village ever since. Even now, Vale just wasn't the same. "But there were no warriors in Vale. So, it was up to us to grow up to become good warriors and come and save them."

"We will save them," Felix said, staring at the tiller as he slowly turned it, his mind half elsewhere as he sailed out of the northern reaches into the warmer ocean. "Jenna, Kay... everyone... they will come home soon. We aren't going to give up on them."

Mia's eyes widened at hearing the name she already knew and she turned to throw a questioning look at the masked Mars Adept. Why had Jenna not even said anything yet? She was one of the people they had come to save!

"Okay, so," Jenna said, stepping forward and speaking louder than usual. "I believe we haven't properly introduced ourselves to each other yet, have we? You may call me... Mask. No, it isn't my real name. I don't believe in telling everything about myself to people I've just met."

"Fair enough," Isaac said, though he seemed somewhat perplexed. "I'm Isaac. The guy on the barrel is Garet. The quiet one at the tiller is Felix."

"Hey, come on," Garet said, looking suspiciously at Jenna. "How can we trust you if you're going to keep even your name secret?"

"Let's see, I'm just a common slave from Prox and I tried to help fight a Proxian. I even freed their captive," Jenna said. "Do you think I can't be trusted after doing all that?" She glanced at Mia, noticing her suspicious look. Why had she even told Mia her name? Well, at least Mia hadn't blurted it out yet.

"Um, I'm feeling very tired," Mia said. "Would it be okay if I went and rested inside the cabin?"

"Of course, Princess," Isaac said. "You are a guest on our ship. You can do as you wish."

"Uh... please call me Mia," Mia said awkwardly, a sheepish smile on her face. "I'm not even in Imil right now. Please treat me like you would anyone else." She turned and walked toward the cabin, taking hold of Jenna's arm. "Won't you come with me? I'd like to talk... 'Mask'."

Jenna pressed her lips together, keeping quiet until they were inside the cabin. Once they were out of earshot, she sighed. "I know. I'm keeping my identity a secret. You already know my real name."

"Why?" Mia asked incredulously. "You're from Vale, aren't you? You are one of those people they came all the way to save. Why didn't you tell them who you are?"

"It's complicated." Jenna let out a heavy sigh and shook her head. "For one thing, I lost my memory when I was fourteen. Those guys... I don't even remember them at all. I don't remember Vale. I remember nothing before the accident that caused me to lose my memory."

"You lost your memory?" Mia looked horrified. "That's awful. But, surely, if you told them, they could help you. You could go back home and..."

"I'm tired of people trying to help me!" Jenna exclaimed, looking somewhat frustrated. "Ever since then, everyone's been trying to tell me everything about my past... but it's not helping me remember. Learning about my past isn't the same as remembering. That's why I want to keep it a secret... until my memory comes back to me."

"But..." Mia trailed off, looking pensive. "They would be very happy to know you are alive and well, and they rescued you after all."

"I know," Jenna said, biting her lower lip. "It's unfair, isn't it? But without my memory, I'm hardly the girl they are looking for. I don't remember a thing. If I somehow recover it, I'm sure I'll tell them immediately."

"But it's not certain, is it?" Mia frowned. "You don't know when you'll get it back."

"No, I don't. But I'll wait. I'm sure it will come back to me someday," Jenna said. "For now, please can you keep it secret?"

"Well, I sure don't have any right to do otherwise," Mia said. "I won't tell them."

"Thank you," Jenna said quietly. She wandered over to a chair and sat down, removing the mask and staring at her feet. "I know it seems crazy, but I really am so sick of being pressured to remember. If I tell them I lost my memory, I'm sure they will try telling me everything too."

"So, what do you know about them?" Mia asked. "Isaac, Garet, Felix... you must have been told about them, right?"

"Yeah, I've been told some stuff," Jenna said, slowly nodding. "Some facts I managed to hold on to. They were my closest friends... in fact, Felix is my older brother. But... I still don't want to tell them, because I'm not really who they are looking for, right now. I'm a disappointment. No memory..."

"I'm sure they wouldn't be disappointed," Mia said. "You're with them and that's the most important thing. But it's your decision. I hope you can recover your memory soon. It must have been awful to lose it for so long."

"Not as long as waiting for rescue," Jenna said, sounding slightly bitter. "Everyone had to wait... ever since I was nine. It's been eight years, and only now, the first rescue attempt comes and I screw it all up." She let out a loud sniff.

"Hey, you risked your life to save me, didn't you?" Mia asked. "Why did you do it anyway? Not that I mind, but... why save a complete stranger?"

"I was sick of Prox kidnapping people," Jenna said bitterly. "I guess I wanted to show them up a bit, and they seemed pretty happy with their latest captive. Isaac and the others had already come by ship then... I thought I'd free you and they would help. Well, they did... but now... everyone else from Vale has to wait a little longer. I feel responsible."

"They will try again," Mia said. "Your friends will have another chance at being rescued. I suppose you delayed it somewhat by helping me, but they can still be saved."

"Yeah... I just feel a little bad about making them wait longer," Jenna murmured. "Eight years is a long time after all."

"It will be alright," Mia said firmly. "You did a good thing yourself. Don't forget that. If it wasn't for you, I would still be stuck inside that awful cell, wondering what was going to happen to me."

* * *

"Well, we sure ended up in a completely different situation to what we expected, didn't we?" Garet spoke up, still sitting on the barrel. "Sure didn't think we'd be getting away with a princess and some mysterious girl instead." 

"I'm glad we could save Mia," Isaac said, staring at the cabin which she had disappeared into just a minute before. "It must have been terrible for a sweet girl like her, being trapped in that awful city."

"You seem pretty impressed with her already," Garet remarked slyly. Isaac turned around, startled, and gave him an annoyed look. "What's with that look?"

"It's not whatever you might be thinking," Isaac said defensively, looking indignantly at the floor. "She's... a beauty. But I'm not even thinking of that sort of thing, Garet. She's royalty!"

"You worried about her being way out of your league, huh?" Garet smirked. Isaac flushed and glared at him. "So, what is up with that strange girl? The one with the mask. She seems pretty weird."

"I don't think so," Isaac said, walking past him and coming to a stop near the tiller. "She seems to have reasons for hiding herself like that. I think for the moment, we should just trust her. She doesn't seem like a threat. So, Felix, what do you think we should be doing now?"

"I'm not quite sure," Felix said thoughtfully. "It's probably too dangerous to take Mia back to Imil. If the Proxians decide they want her back after all, all they have to do is charge over there and get her back. More people could be hurt. Let's just go to the nearest town in Angara. We'll think things over there."

"The Proxians might come after us too, right?" Garet stood and walked over, looking slightly worried. "I guess it would be bad if they sent a bunch of soldiers to kick our asses. Should we lie low for a bit?"

"At any rate, returning to land seems like the safest bet," Isaac mused. "It doesn't seem safe to stay on the open sea right now. Sooner or later, we will definitely be returning to Prox to save everyone, but we should make sure Mia is safe first."

"Hmm..." Garet walked over to the side of the ship and peered out into the darkness. "Hey! I can see a beach! We must be approaching Angara now, right?"

"Yeah, I think it's in the right direction," Isaac said, looking up at the silvery moon. "Hopefully there's a nearby town we can stay at. It's getting rather late, isn't it?" As if on cue, he suddenly yawned widely.

"I'm pretty beat myself," Garet mumbled thickly, rubbing his eyes and turning to look at them. "It really is pretty late, huh? Let's hurry and find an town with an inn before everyone decides to go to bed. I want to sleep in a nice, comfy bed for once."

"Sleeping on this thing so often is kind of annoying, isn't it?" Felix asked, referring to the ship. He quickly turned the ship toward the beach and soon enough, it drifted gently onto the sand and came to a stop. "Okay, let's hurry and get off, then go look for a town."

"I'll go tell the girls," Isaac said, quickly heading to the cabin while Garet dropped the rope ladder down the side of the ship. Felix walked over to the side and waited as Isaac, Mia and Jenna came out the cabin, then he came down after Garet. Eventually, the group were all off the ship and tiredly walking in the darkness as they sought out a town.

Soon enough, they discovered a small mining town beneath the mountains. The entire town was quiet at this time of night, the residents having apparently already retired to their beds for the night. An eerie silence hung around the group, broken only by the sound of their feet on the hard gravel as they walked to the inn. Within the small building, a sleepy red-haired woman was propped up on a desk and looking tired.

"Oh, visitors?" asked the woman, looking up as the Adepts entered the inn. She smiled and straightened herself. "It's pretty late. I was just about to close up and go to bed myself, but I can still give you some rooms for the night."

"Sorry about that, we were travelling late, you see," Felix said, holding up his wallet. "How much?"

"50 coins please," the woman said, holding out a hand to receive the gold coins. "Thank you very much. Have a good night."

The group walked to the back of the inn where the rooms were, all of them happy to get down into a soft and comfortable bed after their tiring experiences.

Mia stood in the centre of a snowy plain as snow swirled in the air around her. She gazed up at the cloudy skies, a thin pinprick of sunlight pushing through and shining down. Mia closed her eyes and smiled, putting her arms out to either side and feeling completely relaxed. A soft breeze tugged at her hair, fanning it out around her shoulders and throwing it in her face.

A soft touch to her cheek caused her to start and open her eyes, looking at the person in front of her. Alex stood there, smiling as he stroked her face. In that moment, she couldn't remember his betrayal, Prox, or the attack on Imil. They were just together, everything was peaceful, happy...

"Mia," Alex whispered.

Her eyes widened and she clutched his shirt. "You called me by my name," Mia said, a wide smile breaking out on her face. "You called me Mia..."

"I love you," Alex said, leaning down and kissing her on the lips.

Mia sighed in rapture as she enjoyed the lingering kiss, savouring the taste of his own lips. At last, he was treating her like a normal person and he'd even confessed his love, something she'd wanted for so long.

A sharp pain in the left side of her chest jolted her out of her reverie. Mia stumbled back and gasped, pressing a hand over the site of the pain. She looked down in horror to see blood bubbling through her fingers and down her wrists, staining her dress crimson. Mia shakily looked up at Alex, who held a bloodied dagger in one hand.

"Why?" Mia gasped out tearfully, sinking to her knees. Alex turned and started walking away, even as she struggled to speak and reached out for him. "Why did you... betray me?" she whispered, falling onto the snow.

A shadow fell over her and then strong arms lifted her up. Mia saw a golden light surround her body. She gazed into a pair of warm, blue eyes and smiled, closing her eyes and resting her head against his chest.

Mia awoke then in bed with tears on her cheeks. She shakily sat up and wiped them away. Alex's betrayal had seriously affected her after all. Mia clutched the sheets with her fingers and shook her head, trying not to think about him. He was a traitor. She didn't care about him anymore. He was good as dead to her. Yet the tears still fell.

The sound of whimpering came from Jenna's bed. Mia looked over at the moving lump underneath the sheets. It was probably a nightmare, causing her to make those noises.

"Help me!" Jenna screamed, wrestling against the arms of a Proxian soldier. She froze in his grip, staring at the people who surrounded her and the soldiers. All their faces were blank. Every single one of them. No eyes, noses or even mouths.

Then the people with blank faces began to move toward her. Jenna stepped back, right through the spot where the soldier had been standing. She gasped and turned around, seeing more people behind her. Their faces were featureless as well. As they closed in on her, she whimpered and let out another scream.

"Jenna, wake up," Mia whispered, hurriedly shaking her. Jenna gasped as she jerked out of her dream and stared up at Mia in confusion. "You were having a nightmare."

"The same dream," Jenna said quietly, rolling over and staring at the ceiling. "The people with blank faces. They don't have any features. They are surrounding me. Why can't I see their faces?"

"I had a bad dream too," Mia said ruefully. "I guess we won't be sleeping well tonight."

"Yeah... but at least you're not in a cell," Jenna said, smiling faintly as she closed her eyes. "Anyway, let's at least try and sleep."

Mia tiredly slipped back into bed and shut her eyes, willing herself back to sleep.

* * *

Terazon kneeled on the carpet, trembling with shame as he sat before Saturos. Kantos and Melkor stood behind him, both of them looking equally ashamed. Saturos wasn't too impressed about being summoned from his sleeping quarters to hear bad news, but Puelle, who had delivered the summons, insisted it was urgent. 

"Okay, so to my understanding, the Princess somehow escaped from jail?" Saturos asked, regarding Kantos and Melkor. "How exactly did that happen? There is only one exit from that jail. The entrance."

"The building was checked," Puelle spoke up from the corner of the room where he quietly watched. "There was no other way the Princess could have left the prison."

"This slave went in with a letter for the Princess, which she claimed was from her friend," said Kantos. "Yet, the slave went out again but nobody seemed to be with her. Despite that, the Princess was gone and there were another pair of footprints leading out of the jail!"

"Perhaps it was a cloaking device," Melkor said, biting his lower lip. "We honestly had no idea she would use that kind of thing. Where would a slave even get a hold of something like that? Perhaps she stole it from the treasure room..."

"I see," Saturos said heavily, shaking his head. "So one of our slaves had the nerve to stand up to us, did they? Terazon, you were sent to go and get her back, weren't you?"

"There were five of them," Terazon whispered, shaking as he told his tale. "The Princess, the slave and three warriors. Somehow, I was defeated by them! I let the Princess get away. I am so sorry. You may punish me for my error now."

"No, it will be easy enough to get her back if we want it so," Saturos said, though he sounded slightly put out. "Puelle, get Terazon some medical aid. You are all excused now." Without another word, he strode from the room and then came to a stop in the hallway, a sudden thought seizing him.

Why had the Princess been rescued? The warriors could certainly not have been from Imil. The one single ship they had there had been burned by the Proxians, to prevent anybody from following them. Yet, someone had considered the Princess important enough to rescue. Perhaps there was a secret he was not aware of.

Then he recalled the scroll Menardi had been looking at in the treasure room, an item he had dismissed as trash. It was from Imil, and it had sounded rather cryptic. Perhaps it was indeed a clue. Saturos quickly walked toward the treasure room to go and retrieve it. Menardi might have been right about it after all.

The scroll was easily found, neatly rolled up and sitting among the treasures. Saturos picked it up and placed it within his belt, deciding he would have a look at it tomorrow. For now, he simply wished to get some rest.

* * *

Alex was sound asleep in the warrior's lodgings, still blissfully unaware that Mia had escaped the city and was no longer even on the continent. He had gone to bed early that night, exhausted after a long day of training against the other warriors in order to become just as strong as them. Alex was quite sure he was improving and this pleased him very much. 

When Mia saw how strong he had become, she would feel shame for rejecting him like that, even hitting him. She would see the mighty warrior he was turning into and she would apologise for treating him like dirt. Alex was still greatly annoyed after the encounter, but unaware that it was quickly turning to resentment against Mia.

'I am going to become a very powerful warrior,' Alex had sworn to himself in determination. 'I may even be one of the best warriors in the whole of Prox. Nobody can stop me from achieving my goal. Mia will be sorry for misunderstanding me. When she sees how powerful I'll become, then she will understand.'

* * *

Sheba tossed and turned in bed, before letting out a sharp cry and sitting up. She gasped for breath, her nightgown clinging to her sweat-soaked skin. Sheba shakily reached for the glass of water by her bed and thirstily gulped it down. 

It was another bad dream, possibly her gift of foresight at work again. What she had seen was horrifying. Shining red eyes in the darkness, hands reaching out for her and trying to seize her. Someone was coming to take her, weren't they? But who were they? The thought of it terrified her.

'Sheba?' Ivan's voice broke into her mind. Sheba closed her eyes, listening to his telepathic voice. 'I sensed something wrong. Are you alright?'

'I'm fine,' Sheba thought, sounding slightly peevish. She didn't appreciate him breaking into her thoughts so much. Sheba sighed and lay back against the bed, her emerald gaze staring at the ceiling. 'Just a vision I had, that's all.'

'Should I get Hama up?' Ivan asked. 'She might know something about it.'

'No! Now let me get back to sleep,' Sheba ordered, sounding slightly annoyed. She closed her eyes and started blocking him as she attempted to get back to sleep.

Ivan sensed that he was being blocked and he sighed, feeling slightly disappointed. He was worried that something might happen to Sheba. Hama seemed to know something that she wasn't telling him too. Why were they keeping it from him?

'Ivan.' Hama's voice sounded in his head. 'I told you you would know someday. Be patient, it will be clear soon. For now, sleep.'

Ivan sighed quietly and turned over in his bed, attempting to go back to sleep. As he slept, strange visions played in his mind, but as usual, they were blurred and difficult to make out so it was difficult to know which were dreams and which were reality. Unlike Sheba and Hama, he could hardly foresee things at all. However, his gift would develop someday and at least the thought of that reassured him.


	11. Chapter 11

**Vision**

* * *

I like this fic so much better when Jenna is just Jenna. In the original, with amnesia and a fake name and everything, she was practically a Mary Sue... but, eh, that's just my opinion. I guess some people would beg to differ.

Camelot owns Golden Sun.

* * *

The sun had risen and now five rather sleepy Adepts were emerging from the inn, blinking in the bright morning light as they struggled to adjust to the daylight. The small town was now a vast contrast to how it had appeared last night, with villagers walking around everywhere, many of them hard at work as they dug at the ground and searched for treasures.

The group of five managed to find a space to sit down, away from all the hustling and the noise, finally ready to have a proper conversation as a group. The night before had been quite rushed and there certainly hadn't been much time for getting to know each other in the hurry to get away before Prox could catch up with them.

"I don't think I managed to properly thank you all for saving me," Mia said, looking around at the others. "So, thank you very much for what you did last night. Of course, I understand you all have your own people to save from that place."

"We will certainly try to save them again," Isaac said, gazing at her as he spoke. In the daylight, she looked even more beautiful and radiant. He hadn't been wrong about her striking beauty after all. "Rescuing you was not an inconvenience at all. What Prox did was wrong and we won't allow them to get away with such things."

"They are terrible people, aren't they?" Mia said sadly, looking at Isaac and studying his expression. Something about him seemed oddly familiar, but she couldn't put her finger on it. "You have never been to Imil, have you?"

"We only went there after you'd been taken," Felix said, surprised by the question. She seemed to be specifically asking Isaac for some reason he could not guess. "None of us had ever been there before."

"Really..." Mia trailed off and shook her head, letting out a small laugh. She smiled at Isaac. "I'm sorry, you just seem to remind me of someone, but I really can't think who, and if you've never been to Imil before, I guess I'm just imagining it."

"It's alright," Isaac said. "When we got to Imil, we heard about you being captured by people with pointed ears and red eyes. They were the same people who had taken our friends from Vale, so now that we had a lead, we set off to Prox to rescue them. And, well, you know how that turned out."

"Hey, wait, I remember something that woman said," Garet spoke up suddenly. "She said you had been taken, as well as some man named Alex." He didn't notice Mia begin to look upset at the mention of the name. "Whatever happened to that guy?"

"Oh, yeah, Alex. I spied on him having a chat with that guy, Saturos," Jenna said. At the confused looks on Isaac's, Garet's and Felix's faces, she quickly added, "He's the leader of the Proxians. Anyway, Saturos called him up and I was really curious to know what it was all about."

"He made a deal with Saturos," Mia said tightly. "That's what you heard, right?" Jenna silently nodded. "Alex... he's a traitor. He betrayed Imil to become a warrior serving Prox, just so he wouldn't be stuck in a cell anymore, not even caring about my feelings. He's a cold-hearted monster."

"I can't understand why anybody would willingly serve people like them," Jenna said, sounding disgusted. "That Alex, he didn't seem like a nice person at all, being so quick to work with the people who plundered his home."

"My father was killed by those men," Mia said, clenching a fist and looking pensive. "I will never forgive Prox for doing that. I won't forgive Alex either. He has good as betrayed me by his actions and I don't want to have anymore to do with someone like him."

"Wow, how pathetic," Garet said, shaking his head and sitting back. "I sure wouldn't be serving people like them either. What's wrong with him?"

Mia let out a heavy sigh and picked at the fraying fabric of her dress, unwilling to talk about Alex any longer. The wounds were still raw and she had no desire to be reminded constantly of the hurt she was feeling after what he had done to her. Isaac noticed her distress.

"So," Isaac said, quickly trying to change the conversation. "Let's hear a little more about each other, shall we?" His gaze fell on Jenna, who was again wearing that mask. "Um... what was your name again?"

"I never told you my name," Jenna said sharply, dropping her gaze. She really would not rather have anybody probing at her. "I said you can call me Mask and that's fine."

"But isn't there anything you'll tell us?" Felix asked. "We're all travelling together at the moment. I think we can all share things with each other, right?"

"I haven't got anything to say," Jenna said, crossing her arms and letting out a small sigh. "Actually... it's more a matter of, not really having anything to talk about. I can't remember anything before I came to Prox."

"Really?" Garet asked. "You honestly can't remember anything? You don't even know where you came from or your name?"

"That's right," Jenna said, gazing levelly at him. As she stared at him, she wondered if just looking at them for long enough, she could pull up a memory, but of course, nothing was coming back to her. "I don't have any memories before I became a slave. Life in Prox isn't much fun to talk about either."

Mia stared at Jenna and then shook her head, sighing quietly. At least Jenna was telling the truth about having amnesia. How unfortunate for her, to have lost her precious memories while enslaved in such a place. How did she even cope with it?

"Were you the only one of your people who even went to Prox?" Garet asked. Jenna looked away for a moment then she simply gave a shrug of her shoulders. "Oh, you don't even know that either? Geez, you don't have much to say about yourself."

"Well, I'm sorry if I'm boring you!" Jenna snapped, looking at him in annoyance.

"Don't pay him any heed," Felix said, throwing a weary look at the redheaded male. "Garet, try not to be so blunt. You're being rude."

"Don't tell me what to do!" Garet said grumpily, staring in annoyance at the dusty ground beneath him.

"Oh, stop sulking, Garet," Isaac said, smiling slightly. "You should listen to the leader anyway. Felix has more sense than you after all."

"I think everybody has more sense than Garet," Felix quipped, provoking Garet's temper even further.

"Hey!" Garet exclaimed, driving a fist into the ground. "I'm not an idiot or anything! Man, why do you guys keep picking on me?"

Unexpectedly, Mia broke out in a fit of giggles, causing everyone to look at her. Then the tension was broken as everybody else shared in the amusement. Garet seemed somewhat less annoyed once it was over.

"Well, I think we'll all get along fine," Isaac said, smiling at everyone. "Okay, we can't really sit around talking all morning, can we? We should get moving again in the event that Prox comes after us, which they might do. Felix, have you thought about where we should go next?"

"Hmm, I wonder," Felix said, looking pensive as he thought about the options left to them. The main objective at the moment was of course keeping Mia safe from Prox, so she should be taken somewhere where she was not in immediate danger. "It wouldn't be a good idea to take Mia back to Imil..."

"No, I suppose not," Mia said, shaking her head. "To do that might as well be telling Prox to just come and get me again. I would simply be endangering myself and possibly Imil. They were already seriously hurt by Prox's first attack."

"Hmm, you know, Vale is pretty close by," Isaac said suddenly. "It's just over those mountains, isn't it? If we go along the river, we should be able to get there pretty easily."

"Yeah, that's a good idea," Felix said. "I'm sure we can just take the ship up the river and then walk to Vale from there."

"But won't it be dangerous?" Mia asked anxiously. "What if the Proxians came to Vale and..."

"It will be dangerous anywhere," Garet said. "If Prox is desperate enough to get you back, they might just search all of Weyard looking for you and they probably wouldn't be plundering every town they come across."

"Indeed. So I don't think anybody else would be in danger," Isaac said. "Vale has faced those people again and come through mostly intact, except for the loss of certain people, so we could easily stand up to them again."

"And we have a nice little hiding place too," Garet remarked. "They never thought to check there. That's how we got away without being captured after all."

"Yeah, there's that tunnel..." Felix said quietly, looking somewhat pained as he remembered that hiding place that had protected them. Except Jenna, because he hadn't stopped her from leaving. He had let her go and she was taken.

"A tunnel?" Jenna repeated. "You hid in a tunnel so they didn't capture you?" So that was why they hadn't been taken to Prox with her and everyone else. They had escaped. But why hadn't she been able to? She couldn't even remember that day, so it was a mystery to her.

"You're still thinking about that, Felix?" Isaac looked at him sadly. "Hey, you know that was not your fault. If you're responsible, so are Garet and I, alright? We couldn't possibly have known what would happen."

"What is it?" Mia asked tentatively. She didn't like to pry, but clearly something about that tunnel bothered them.

"We hid in that tunnel," Garet said, a hint of regret in his voice. "Jenna was hiding with us as well, when the Proxians started their attack. We didn't know they were kidnapping children and then Jenna left the tunnel... we never saw her again."

"I shouldn't have let her go out," Felix said, biting his lower lip. "I failed her. My little sister got taken away by those barbarians..."

Jenna frowned and looked away, not wishing to see the guilt on his face. She felt guilty herself now for wanting to keep it a secret. Obviously they were missing her a lot and she was doing this to them. But what was the point? She couldn't even remember a thing. It just seemed pointless.

"Then... should we move on to Vale now?" Mia asked, bringing everyone back to the pressing matter at hand. There was a sense of urgency about this whole thing and she knew the morning couldn't be wasted on looking back and regrets.

"You're right," Jenna said, getting to her feet. "There's no time to waste. We really should hurry."

"Let's go then," Isaac said, also standing and reaching out to help Mia to her feet. "We'll get you to Vale and keep you safe, Mia. That's my promise."

"I'm sure you will," Mia said, smiling. "It's a promise, then."

The group then set off from Loho and managed to locate the ship, still located on the beach where it had been left the night before. It drifted away and moved toward the nearest river into Angara. From there, they began sailing in the direction of Vale.

* * *

Alex lunged and stabbed, the sword flashing in the light of the sun as he expertly moved and twirled with it, battling with all his might against his opponent. For some reason, the Proxian warrior seemed to be keen on keeping his distance from Alex, possibly because of the reputation that Alex was already getting. People were already speaking behind his back of the strength and power that he possessed.

One Proxian had almost had the misfortune of having his eye removed by Alex's sword. Now he was quite sure he would have a scar above that very eye for the rest of his life, thanks to the overeager Imilian. Another Proxian complained about the bruises that he had from an arduous battle with Alex. Indeed, Alex was causing a stir among the warriors of Prox with his brutality and determination.

Alex already knew that the Proxians were talking about him, even if they did it when they didn't think he was listening, and it pleased him greatly to think that he was already making himself known in this city of powerful warriors. Surely the dream was within his grasp, the desire to become the strongest warrior ever, to achieve great power and to make the world fall to their knees before him.

But it was a dream. Something he could never possibly achieve. He should at least just concentrate on becoming a mighty warrior, then he would show Mia what he had become. At the moment, Alex was still unaware of the fact Mia had escaped, as focused as he was on his training. Nothing else mattered right now.

"Excuse me," a soldier said, approaching and bringing the battle to a halt. The Proxian warrior sighed in relief and stepped back, wiping his sweaty brow. The soldier glanced over at Alex. "You are Alex, aren't you?"

"That is my name," Alex responded smoothly, gazing at the soldier with his calm gaze. "What business do you have with me?"

"Lord Saturos has summoned you to the palace," said the soldier. "Please come with me."

"We will finish this another time," Alex said, smirking at the warrior who was now looking rather frightened at the thought. "I look forward to it." Then, as the soldier began moving away toward the palace, Alex set off after him. Soon, he was once again in the throne room, facing Saturos.

"Hello, Alex," Saturos said, idly tapping a scroll in one hand against the palm of his other as he coolly regarded the Mercury Adept. "I hear you've been beating up some of the other warriors. Is that true?"

"Well, I am aiming to be a great fighter," Alex said, smirking. "If they are talking about me so much, it surely must be true."

"Anyway, I had a reason for calling you here," Saturos said, approaching him and holding out the rolled up scroll. Alex wordlessly took it and stared at it in confusion. "I've been studying this quite carefully. It came from Imil. Won't you look at it?"

Alex carefully unrolled it and stared at the text written upon the leather parchment. It occurred to him that he had in fact seen it before, inside the palace, and in fact even had the chance to read it. Mia had let him look at it long ago. It was a sacred treasure that not many people were allowed to see. Being allowed to look was considered an honour then.

"So, do you have anything to say about that scroll?" Saturos enquired after a long pause in which Alex simply stared at the text.

"I suppose I do," Alex said finally, rolling up the scroll and feeling a slight pang of regret. This scroll had been sacred, shown to few, and now it was right here in Prox, with those Proxians pawing it. "It is a sacred scroll that was kept in the palace and was handed down through the generations of the royal family. In fact, there was a rumour of a legend tied to it."

"A legend?" Saturos asked curiously. "Now that's interesting. Are there any other clues to this mysterious legend beside that scroll?"

Alex exhaled heavily and nodded. There was the song that Mia had also taught him. Once, she had trusted him with everything. What had happened to her, to make her distrust him so much and throw everything back in his face? "Yes, there was a song too."

"Oh, really?" Saturos quickly walked over to a writing table situated in a corner of the room and picked up a piece of parchment. "Why don't you come over here and write it down for me?"

Alex grudgingly walked over, knowing that he had little choice in the matter, and took the parchment. He leaned over the table and picked up a quill pen, laboriously scratching out the words of the song onto the piece of parchment. Then the scroll was laid down next to it.

"Hmm, clearly they are both connected," Saturos said thoughtfully as he studied the pieces of writing. "Sol and Luna. Crystals. Surely this has got to mean something. It sounds like a legend with some powerful secrets."

"If these were handed down through the line of Mercury Adepts, specifically those with the royal blood in them," Alex murmured, "then it probably would require a royal Water Adept. That means I would be of little use. I'm not even a direct descendant of the line. I'm at least three generations removed."

"Indeed, that does seem to be the case," Saturos remarked. "How does it feel to be useless for once?"

Alex ignored the jibe and stepped back from the desk, smiling. "It's quite simple. We will just have to use Mia."

"But, you see, that could be a bit difficult," Saturos said, folding his arms. Spotting Alex's confusion, he added, "Oh, did you not know about it?"

"Know about what?" Alex asked tiredly. "I haven't even seen Mia since yesterday." He did not wish to speak about the heated encounter they had inside that prison and would be quite happy to avoid her for a while after the things she had said.

"Mia is no longer even in this city," Saturos said slowly. Shock registered on Alex's face. "She was taken away, when some intruders came for her. A slave also aided her escape from the prison and there were a few warriors who came by ship. They got away with her and I have no idea where she is right now."

"So, Mia is gone?" Alex said, once he struggled to regain his composure. "Well, that is a pity," he said as calmly as possible. "But surely we can simply go and get her back. I doubt it would be too difficult."

"Oh yes, it certainly is a possibility if anyone is willing to go out and rescue her," Saturos said, smirking slightly. "If this legend is indeed true, then you might want to go and get her back."

"Then I will do it," Alex said quickly. "I will go out there and get Mia back here, whether she wants it or not."

"You think you're ready for it?" Saturos enquired. Alex fiercely nodded. "Well, you certainly do have a lot of determination in you. Then I will send you off with a ship and a couple of soldiers."

Alex was just about to ask if only two were enough, then bit it back. Saturos obviously wasn't taking this whole matter seriously enough. He wasn't going to go overboard on something that might not even be real. "Very well. May I leave as soon as possible?"

"Certainly," Saturos said. "I'll ask Puelle to find some soldiers to go with you. For now, you are excused."

Alex turned and walked out of the room, excitement building up inside him. Perhaps this legend was indeed true. But to find out, they needed Mia. And within an hour, he was on a ship with two Proxian soldiers, sailing across the ocean in search of Mia and her travelling companions.


	12. Chapter 12

**Vision**

* * *

Character development is fun. So is relationship development. 

Camelot owns Golden Sun.

* * *

Jenna wandered along the hallway inside the ship's cabin, deep in thought about the morning's conversation. She knew now how she had come to be captured and Felix and the other two hadn't, but of course it wasn't the same as remembering. It was painful to see them almost blaming themselves for what had happened to her. 

It was her own fault it had happened. Being careless enough to wander out of a safe hiding place when crazy Mars Adepts were running around and kidnapping children? She was the only one to blame back then. Then she had even gone and lost her memory by being careless. A fall off the roof, that had done it, because she wasn't careful enough. And of course, she had gone and impaired the rescue operation that should have saved everyone from Vale.

Jenna came to a stop and turned to gaze at a mirror fixed to the wall. She stepped forward and gazed at her expression. How much had she changed in the past eight years? For her, there was no way to really know. Still, she might be recognisable to the others, so she wore the mask to keep her identity a secret.

A rueful smile graced her face. What kind of a name was Mask really? But she hadn't wanted to spend a long time thinking of a name that was just fake anyway. Her real name would be a secret until her memory came back to her, if ever. On reflection, telling it to Mia probably hadn't been the best idea, but back then, she'd really had no idea who the warriors she'd watched really were. At least Mia agreed to keep it a secret.

Jenna glanced down at the eye goggles stored securely in her belt, feeling thankful that she'd actually taken these. It made things easier. But how long was she even going to be wearing them? Surely sooner or later, she would get sick of hiding herself and just let it out. For now, she would just keep assuming a secret identity.

The sound of footsteps coming toward her startled Jenna. She was about to pull out the mask, which she had taken off for the simple fact that she was alone, but as Garet approached her, she decided it was too late anyway and he probably wouldn't even figure it out. Garet honestly didn't seem that wise.

"Oh, hey," Garet said, stopping and staring at her. "There's something different about you right now. What could it be?" He paused, still staring even as Jenna began to glare at him. "Oh, I know. You're not wearing that silly mask." And he was glad to get the opportunity to see her without it. Looking at her, she was quite pretty and he was entranced by her wide, round eyes.

"Please tell me you were joking just now," Jenna said, sounding slightly peevish as she put her hands on her hips. "If it took you that long to notice, I'm worried."

"Of course I was joking! Sheesh," Garet said, chuckling slightly and shaking his head. "I'm not that dumb." Jenna just smiled and raised an eyebrow at his statement. "You really should just leave it off. You're a pretty girl."

"My, you're forward, aren't you?" Jenna quipped. "I suppose you're not so bad looking yourself." As she looked away, she suddenly flushed, wondering if she'd ever thought that back in the day when they were children. Even liked him? Why was she even thinking about such a thing?

"So, what do I call you when you're not wearing it?" Garet asked, placing a hand on the wall and leaning in. "If you're going to tell me, that is."

"Don't push it," Jenna growled, giving him a mildly fierce look. "Didn't I say I had no idea of my real name anyway?"

"But come on! It makes no sense when you're not wearing that mask, you know," Garet said. "Or do you actually wear it all the time?"

"It depends," Jenna replied coolly, leaning against the wall and folding her arms across her chest. She took a sharp breath and looked at Garet. "So... a pretty girl like me. Do I remind you of anyone?" Surely he wouldn't connect her to her much younger self, but she might as well take the risk and find out.

"Hmm, I wonder..." Garet said, gazing intently at her features. Then his expression lit up. "Oh, I know, you kind of remind me of... um, Felix's mom, I think." At Jenna's aghast expression, he recoiled. "No, wait, I didn't mean it like that! I don't like older women! Oh man, how embarassing..." Garet groaned and sank to the floor.

"Okay, yeah, that's just a little too much information," Jenna said, giving him a mock disturbed look. Of course, she was hardly bothered by it, she would expect that. But to act completely normal would probably not cut it. Garet might actually make the connection if she did.

"I told you it isn't like that!" Garet exclaimed. "I was just saying you're pretty, but you looked like her. She's totally not pretty like you, not at all. Just similar. In fact, she's butt ugly compared to you."

"Just shut up now, Garet," Jenna said, rolling her eyes. Great, now he was insulting her mother directly in front of her. She felt a sudden pang as she thought of the mother she couldn't even remember. How unfair it was, to forget her entire family and lose the memories of the life she'd had before being taken to Prox. She couldn't remember a thing about her parents or Felix, Isaac, or Garet...

"Hey, you alright?" Garet spoke up, noticing her sudden silence. Jenna was staring at the floor with a pensive, upset expression. "I didn't upset you or anything, did I? Was it something that I said?"

"No, it's nothing," Jenna said weakly, shaking her head. "I'm just thinking... without my memories... I can't even remember my own mother, my father... I don't remember anything about my family or home. It's really sad to not recall a life before I was a slave in that awful city."

"Yeah, it doesn't sound nice at all," Garet said sympathetically, gazing at her sad expression. She really didn't seem to be happy with her lost memories at all. "Uh, how did it happen? Losing your memory, I mean. Or do you not know that either?"

Jenna looked at him for a moment in silent thought, then she lightly shrugged. "I don't really know. I just woke up one day and my head was empty. Everything, it was all gone, and I didn't know a thing about myself. I was just a slave, working for Prox, being forced to build and work hard every day."

"Maybe we'll find your home," Garet said, standing up and looking seriously at her. "You know, we'll find someone who knows who you are and then you can get those memories of yours back. So, just hang in there, okay?"

"Okay," Jenna said, sounding slightly flat. Garet had no idea, but for some reason, being surrounded by people who knew her just didn't help one bit. All they did was annoy her as they attempted to stuff tons of information into her brain that just leaked out the moment she lost concentration. "I guess so."

"So, what are your plans?" Garet asked. Jenna glanced at him in confusion. "I mean, when we get to Vale, we'll keep Mia safe there and probably go back to Prox sometime after that to try and rescue everyone from Vale. You could probably help, if you get better at fighting anyway."

"I'm not really so sure at the moment," Jenna said hesitantly, smiling nervously. "I'm just really glad to be free right now. You're right about the fighting though, I really don't have much experience in it. Proxians don't exactly make sure their slaves are fit for beating them up, you know, it wouldn't be good."

"Yeah, I can imagine that," Garet said dryly. "Well, we can help you get better if you want to and maybe give you a proper sword. Well, just a light blade, you know. Not sure that you could handle a heavier sword after all. I mean, you're kind of slim and light built... not because you're a girl."

"We'll see," Jenna said, stepping away and throwing him a brief smile. "Anyway, I'm going to go out on the deck and get some fresh air now." She quickly drew out her mask, placing it over her eyes, then walked away.

Garet silently watched her leave, sighing quietly. Why did she have to be so closed up? Somehow, he thought she reminded her of someone else, but he hadn't wanted to say so at the time, especially not after the embarassment of comparing her to Felix's mother. What had he been thinking, saying such a thing?

For some reason, he was suddenly thinking about Jenna. Was she alright back in Prox? How much would she have changed in the past eight years? Probably still have those wild mood swings for sure. Somehow, the girl, 'Mask', she made Garet think of an older Jenna...

"Man, stop that!" Garet muttered to himself, shaking his head. "You're crazy to think such a thing. Stop thinking about something like that." Of course it didn't make sense at all. Jenna wouldn't lie about her past, even around her own friends she hadn't seen for years. That wasn't like her at all. Mask was absolutely not like her.

* * *

Mia leaned against the side of the ship, silently gazing at the sparkling river as the ship travelled along its surface. As she watched the fish rippling beneath the surface, she thought of her home. Mia wasn't exactly sure what shape Imil was in after the army of Prox had ravaged it the way they did, but at least she knew there were people alive there. The mere thought was enough to comfort her. But why did her dear father have to die at the hand of those warriors? Imil had never done anything to Prox and they just attacked, stealing the treasure, killing those in their way. 

To add insult to injury, Alex, whom she had once considered her closest friend and even dared to so much as almost love, had gone and betrayed her as well as her city. Not wanting to sit in a cold cell was certainly no excuse to turn on your people and side with the ones who had hurt them in the first place. Mia still couldn't believe the sheer depth of the betrayal Alex had committed. The worst thing was, he hadn't seemed truly ashamed at all. He acted as if it was the right thing to do.

Mia felt somewhat regretful about not being able to return to Imil yet, to reassure her people that she was safe and well, but she knew it was for her own safety. Anyway, her own home had been destroyed. She had seen what was done to the palace and was pretty sure that there wouldn't be many people left to attend to her. Life just wouldn't be the same anymore, even if she returned. Her father was gone. Alex had turned on her. Many people she'd known and cared about would probably be dead too.

"Are you alright?" Isaac asked quietly, standing next to her and looking concerned. Mia seemed to be so deep in thought, she might as well not be on the ship anymore, but somewhere far away. Mia looked up at him and nodded quickly. "Are you thinking about your home?"

"I miss it," Mia said, gripping the side of the ship with her hands and looking up. "Or at least, I miss what it used to be, before Prox came along and destroyed most of it. The palace was in ruins. My father is gone. Alex is now on their side. It's just not going to be the same anymore if I go back."

"But it's still your home, isn't it?" Isaac asked gently. "I'm sure you will be able to go back someday, but for now, it's better to wait until we're sure Prox has given up on you. You will be safe in Vale."

"I know. You promised after all," Mia said, looking at him with a trusting smile. "You are all really kind people, doing this for me. Saving me from that place, letting me stay in your hometown for my safety. It's amazing what people will do for someone they have never met."

"Hey, that's because we're nice people," Isaac reasoned. "You think we'd leave a beautiful woman like you for those Proxians to put away in a dingy cell?" Upon noticing Mia's face had gone a bright shade of scarlet, he realised what he'd said. "Uh... sorry. I guess I embarassed you." He felt a little embarassed too, for letting it slip out like that.

"No, it's okay. I'm not used to being complimented," Mia said, ducking her head as she continued to blush. "In Imil, people were rather formal with me, being the Princess after all. If a man had come up to me in the street and told me straight out I was a beautiful woman, he'd probably have got told off for it. People always had to call me Princess, or Princess Mia, too. So often, I just wanted to be called plain old Mia and be treated like a normal person."

"It doesn't really sound that fun being a Princess," Isaac remarked. He was surprised at how down to earth she truly was, just wanting to be one of them, a normal person. It certainly didn't fit with his expectations of the average member of royalty. "Well, we'll definitely treat you normally here. It would be pretty uncomfortable if you expected us to treat you differently, especially with Garet around."

"Yeah," Mia said, chuckling lightly as she wondered how Garet would have fared if he'd ever had the chance of entering the Imilian palace, even seeing her father. He might not have even got that far. "It's alright. I'm not going to ask for anything more than I'm entitled to or anything like that. You've done enough for me and I'm grateful for that."

"You'll like it in Vale," Isaac assured her. "It's a really beautiful place and it's rather peaceful." He paused, looking slightly disturbed. "Well, maybe a little too peaceful after certain incidents, but we're going to fix that sometime. Still, you won't be disappointed."

"I'm looking forward to it," Mia replied, stepping back from the side of the ship and turning around to face him. "Maybe you could tell me some stories of your hometown sometime. I would like to hear them."

"Eh, there's not much to tell," Isaac said dismissively. "It was all basically fun and games, until we had to start training to become warriors because everybody was depending on us to do it for them. I bet your life was so much more interesting. Being a Princess and living in a palace had to have some perks, right?"

"Well, I suppose we just have different ideas of interesting," Mia said. "It's not really so fun, because everybody has high expectations of you in a position like that. I was always having lessons and being tutored in everything. Also, I had to learn how to be a real Princess, and sometimes I would attend some really boring meetings. I really just want to hear what it was like growing up in an ordinary village, surrounded by friends who treat you the same as everyone else. Playing together, being carefree..."

"Well, we do come from very different backgrounds, but we're really not all that different to each other as people," Isaac said, smiling at her. "I'll tell you plenty of stories, but you'll have to tell me some as well. How about it?"

"Sure," Mia said, smiling back. "I can think of plenty to talk about too."

* * *

Felix was scarcely concentrating on sailing the ship along the river, his thoughts elsewhere. It was hard to believe that already they were returning to Vale and yet, they hadn't even managed to rescue anyone. All they would be coming with were a refuge and some mysterious girl. As he thought about the return home, he tried not to think about how disappointed everyone in Vale would be. 

What would they be thinking when he walked through the gate with Isaac and Garet? Would they be expecting to see the other people from Vale behind them? His mother and father were probably going to be upset with him for not bringing his sister back, yet still returning home. In some ways, he was dreading going back to Vale empty handed.

His mind drifted back to the day they had left Vale on the start of the journey. Everyone had been excited then, hoping to see them return soon with the missing Valeans. They had truly believed the Valean warriors would be returning for the first time with the people taken away eight years before. But the first time was simply going to be a letdown. At least they could try again, go to Prox once more and successfully rescue the captives.

"Sail any slower and the ship won't be moving at all," a voice said, cutting into his thoughts. Felix blinked and looked aside, his gaze falling upon the masked girl, staring at him with a shrewd smile. "You don't seem so keen on returning to Vale for some reason."

"I guess I'm not really," Felix admitted, shaking his head and staring ruefully at the tiller he was holding onto. "I think everyone thought we would only return to Vale until we'd rescued everyone. It doesn't seem right to be returning so soon without them."

"It's not like you're giving up though," Jenna said. "You're going to try again. So they will be a little disappointed everyone hasn't been rescued yet, but that can't be helped. It's kind of my fault anyway." She let out a small sigh, wondering what it would be like to enter Vale for the first time in eight years. The home she couldn't even remember.

What was she going to do when she returned home? Reveal her identity after all? How could she not do that surrounded by all the people who loved and missed her, in the place she had been born and raised? Yet... she still had no memory. She would also be a disappointment, especially if it never came back to her.

"Hey, don't blame yourself," Felix said, glancing at her. "We didn't even have much of a plan to begin with. Anything could have gone wrong on our first try. We're hardly a match for those Proxian warriors either."

"That warrior you fought back there... he kind of surrendered, didn't he?" Jenna said quietly, recalling the encounter the night before. "It wasn't the same as actually defeating him. The Proxian warriors are very powerful. They can easily overpower their slaves... forcing them to do their bidding..."

"Is that what happened to everybody who were taken?" Felix asked, looking sad. "They were turned into slaves, forced to do whatever those Proxians wanted?"

"That's pretty much it," Jenna murmured, recalling the sad, tired faces she was used to seeing every day in that place. She had gone through so much herself, at least after the accident. Jenna was quite sure it hadn't been any easier before the day she fell off the roof. "Prox was always taking people to work for them."

"Were they always Adepts?" Isaac asked behind her, startling her slightly. "That's why Vale was targeted, isn't it? They knew about us somehow... so they targeted the children and took them away from us."

"Yes. Everyone is an Adept..." Jenna said uncomfortably. "Me included." There really was no use in hiding it. She'd already learned to use a little of it too and the time might come when she had to use it, even in front of the others.

"Really? What type?" Felix asked curiously.

"A Mars Adept, just like most of the people in Prox," Jenna replied. Without another word, she hurried off to the back of the ship, seized by the desire to be alone for a moment. Mia stared at her for a moment then wandered over to the two Venus Adepts talking by the tiller.

"You know," Isaac said suddenly, staring at Felix. "Your parents... your dad is a Venus Adept and your mother's a Mars Adept."

"That's right. What about it?" Felix asked, glancing at him in surprise.

"Just thinking..." Isaac murmured, turning away. "Your sister could have been a Mars Adept. Right?"

"I suppose..." Felix said, trailing off. "But why are you asking?"

"No. It's nothing. Just a thought," Isaac said quietly, frowning. Maybe he was just crazy for thinking it, but when he put the pieces together concerning their masked companion, some things were awfully coincidental. But perhaps it was just a coincidence after all. There were still things that didn't make sense, like not knowing her name or the place she was from. How would that even be possible? The Valeans wouldn't have left one of their kind alone.

Mia gazed at Isaac, studying his thoughtful expression, and she smiled slightly. Maybe he was starting to figure something out after all. It was better for everyone to figure it out than for her to go and tell Jenna's secret.

* * *

Further along the continent, another ship had just embarked onto the same river and was now sailing along its course, in pursuit of the group. The boat had come from Prox, and currently, three people were aboard. Alex stood at the helm of the ship, gazing ahead in the hope of seeing the ship Mia was on. He briefly turned, looking over his shoulder at the two soldiers with him. They didn't seem like much, but Saturos had picked them himself, so Alex could hardly have complained. 

Anyway, it didn't matter. The Mercury Adept was quite confident that he would be able to defeat Mia's companions if necessary and take her back without even needing their help. A bunch of ragtag teens could not possibly match up against him. Alex calmly smirked and reached up to brush away loose strands of hair that the wind had tossed in his face.

His eyes fell upon a nearby city looming up in the distance, not too far from the river. Perhaps this would be an ideal place to stop for a while. Alex could quickly cross over land if he had to. His mind made up, Alex turned and walked toward the soldier positioned at the tiller.

"I want you to stop near that city," Alex ordered, gesturing toward the just visible city. The soldier gave him a perplexed stare and then looked over at the city, seeming baffled. "I can cover land from there and look for her myself."

"But, are we not tailing a boat?" The soldier glanced at him, dumbfounded. He cleared his throat and looked at the tiller. "It would make more sense to stay on the water and hope we find the boat soon enough. If they were not on the boat, then we would lie in wait for them. They would have to return to their boat eventually."

Alex narrowed his eyes, umimpressed by how the soldier talked back. So, he thought he knew better, did he? "You dare to argue with me? I said to dock near that city over there and you will do as I say. Is that clear enough?"

"But..." The soldier's eyes flickered to where Alex's hand was now grazing the hilt of his own sword and he blanched nervously. "Yes, of course. I'll dock by that city in just a few minutes." Alex nodded in satisfaction and turned to move away. The soldier let out a quiet sigh of relief and resumed moving the tiller, his hands shaking slightly. Alex could be truly intimidating at times.

Within a few minutes, the ship had come to rest along a thin strip of sand at the side of the river, close to the city. Without a word to the soldiers, Alex immediately climbed down from the ship and hurried away.

"Shouldn't we accompany him?" one of the soldiers asked doubtfully, glancing over at his companion.

"I think he wants to do things alone," the other soldier replied, shrugging his shoulders. "He seems to be a bit of a loner anyway. We'll just wait here."

Upon reaching the city, Alex noticed two guards standing in position at its gates. Good, then this place was guarded after all. These two should know who had entered and left the city today.

"Halt!" One of the guards exclaimed, noticing Alex come even closer to the entrance. "What is your business in Kalay? We are keepers of the peace and have a responsibility to deal with anybody who threatens it. Speak up!"

"I understand." Alex nodded, forcing a smile. How annoying they were, pretending to be better than him. "I am searching for a group of people. I can't say how many people were in the group, but one of them was a girl with blue hair. You would remember someone with such unusual hair, wouldn't you?"

"Like you, eh?" The guard glanced at Alex's wild mane of blue hair. "No, I'm afraid you are the only person with blue hair I have ever seen in my life. Neither have we had any groups come by lately."

Alex carefully studied the guard's face, staring intently to detect any signs of lying. However, the guard seemed to be entirely honest. "Very well, I shall have to go and look elsewhere then."

With that, the Mercurian turned away from Kalay and began walking quickly with a determined expression on his face. So Mia and her travelling companions were not in Kalay after all. Perhaps they would be in a nearby town. He was simply going to have to search for her and capture her as quickly as possible.

"Where is he going now?" One soldier sighed, leaning over the side of the ship and shaking his head. "Why did Saturos even bother to send us with that guy?"

"Well, somebody had to watch the ship, right?" The other soldier joined him at the side, gazing out into the distance. "Anyway, the view is nice here. It makes a change to seeing snow all the time."

As the two soldiers conversed, neither of them were aware of the treacherous octopus snaking a tentacle over the other side of the ship and hoisting itself over, landing softly onto the deck without a sound.

* * *

The group of Adepts had now docked the ship by the mountain and chosen to travel on foot. They were now approaching the nearby town of Vault, which was just half a day's journey from Vale. 

"Can we stop in Vault for a bit?" Garet asked anxiously, feeling a faint rumbling in his stomach. "I didn't eat much breakfast."

"All you think about is food," Isaac quipped, rolling his eyes. "Well, I don't see the harm in stopping to eat there. It's not that far from Vale anyway. What do you think, Felix?"

"Well, Garet won't stop complaining otherwise, so we might as well," Felix replied. Any excuse to hold off the dreaded return to Vale empty handed was good enough for him, and he suspected it could be part of the reason Garet was so desperate to eat there. Both of them were nervous about facing disappointment from their parents after all.

"Geez, you don't have to make me feel bad about it," Garet muttered, though he seemed happier at the prospect of eating. "Anyway, everyone back in Vale can wait a little longer. There's no harm in it, right?"

"I agree," Jenna spoke up, nodding her head. "I'm starting to feel pretty hungry myself. Let's eat first." She felt slightly disappointed about having to wait a bit longer before seeing her own hometown, but she knew there was no point in complaining. Only Mia even knew her true identity right now.

"I have no problems with it," Mia added. "Let's go and eat a nice meal then."

Now that the group had reached a mutual agreement, they walked into the small town, looking around for a place to eat. Vault was rather small in size with a low population, so there were only two choices. The inn would provide food, or they could eat in a little tavern at the edge of the town. After much deliberation, they settled for the tavern.

Despite the positive atmosphere within the tavern, the group found themselves eating in silence even as people talked merrily around them, eating and drinking to their hearts content. A slight unease had settled over everyone, as they thought about what was coming up. Some of them would face disappointment, one individual was concerned about facing her forgotten past and Mia was worried about what would happen if she stayed in Vale. Would Prox come and attack them to get to her?

Mia was the first to get up from the table. The food on her plate had barely been touched, but she felt unable to eat any more. "I'm sorry, I'm not feeling so hungry after all. I think I will go and get some fresh air, if that's alright."

"But we've been stuck on a ship for ages," Garet spoke up, as Mia turned and went to leave. "We've had nothing but fresh air."

"I think she's got other reasons for wanting to be alone right now," Isaac said quietly, munching slowly on his beef jerky. "I think she must actually be rather worried. Prox could be chasing after her and she's still dealing with her friend betraying her. Mia must be hurting inside."

"It must really hurt to be betrayed by someone you've known all your life," Jenna muttered, pushing the renmants of her food around her plate. "That Alex is such a monster, betraying his own city like that and siding with Prox. Poor Mia."

A few minutes later, everyone had eaten enough and paid for the food. They quickly left the tavern and looked around the village, hoping to spot Mia. However, there was no sight of the blue-haired maiden among the villagers walking around town.

"Where did Mia get to?" Felix wondered, looking around in confusion. "She couldn't have actually left the town, could she?"

"Mia!" Isaac called out loudly, frantically searching behind buildings and looking in every hidden spot he could find. "Mia, where are you?"

"What if she went back to the ship?" Garet suggested. "Should we go and check there?"

"But why would she return to the ship?" Jenna asked in frustration. "Something must have happened to her while we were still in that tavern."

"Excuse me," Isaac said, approaching a man who was walking along a path through the town. "Have you seen a girl with blue hair around here?"

"Blue hair? Well, I couldn't forget something as unusual as that," the man said, chuckling softly. "Is it some odd fashion that involves colouring your hair? But, yes, I did see a couple of people with blue hair."

"A couple of people?" Felix raised an eyebrow. "Wait, you mean you saw two people? Then Mia was with someone else?"

"This other person with blue hair, was it a young man? Did he have long hair like the girl?" Jenna asked urgently, feeling horrified.

"Yes, he did as a matter of fact," replied the man. "They left the town together just a few minutes ago. That girl didn't seem to be very happy about it though. I think she didn't want to go with him."

"Alex," Jenna said, clenching her fists. "He must have come and taken Mia. Perhaps he's going to take her back to Prox."

"Did you see which way they went?" Garet asked urgently.

"I think they were heading in the direction of Kalay," the man replied. "It's a large city to the southeast of here. You can't possibly miss it."

"Well then, we'd better hurry," Felix said. "We've got to go and save Mia before that Alex person can get away with her."

"We should have been more careful," Isaac hissed, feeling ashamed of himself. "How could I let Mia go off by herself? Because I was careless, she's been taken already."

"Save the guilt for later," Garet said quickly, clapping a hand on his shoulder. "If we hurry, we can catch up. They probably haven't been gone so long."

The group of Adepts quickly set off out of Vault, hurrying across the land in pursuit of Alex as he led Mia away, intending to return her to the place she had been fortunate to escape such a short time ago.


	13. Chapter 13

**Vision**

* * *

Alex is such a jerk in this fic. Well, just like Alex in the game then. 

Camelot owns Golden Sun.

* * *

"There's ink everywhere!" the Proxian soldier yelled, his foot skidding upon the sticky, black substance that coated the deck of the ship. He let out a cry as he slammed down onto his rump and then let out a curse. "Hurry and deal with that monster!" 

"I can't see!" the other soldier gasped, frantically wiping at his face with his sleeve. The moment he had turned to see the tentacled creature upon their ship, there was already ink all over the deck and the creature had greeted him with a well aimed squirt to the eyes. "This stuff is all over my face and some of it's in my eyes. Ugh."

"It's squirting everywhere," the soldier lying on his backside gasped, struggling to get up again. However, the inky substance beneath him refused to let him get a proper grip upon the surface and he slipped back down again. "No! Not the tiller!"

"What happened?" asked the distressed soldier, occupied with wiping his face. He disgustedly shook his hands and glanced at the tiller, seeing that it was now covered with sticky black goo and the octopus was currently clinging to it as if meaning to break it apart. "Hey! We need that to steer!" he shouted, breaking into a run.

The incapacitated soldier let out a quiet groan as he watched his friend fall to the ground. "You really are hopeless. We won't be able to make a quick getaway because of all the ink we have to clean up now and that octopus isn't helping at all."

"Hey, you," the soldier close to the octopus gasped out, crawling across the deck toward the creature that clung steadfastly to the tiller. "Will you get off there already?" He grasped it and started pulling, groaning with exertion. "It's got really strong tentacles. It won't come off."

"Just keep pulling," his companion said tiredly, gazing in disgust at the ink that now coated his armour. "I can't believe something like this happened. Alex is going to come back and give us an earful for this, like it's our fault or something."

* * *

"Alex, please stop!" Mia exclaimed, trying to pull away as he held on fast to her arm, pulling her along with him. He had remained silent the whole time as he strode on ahead, refusing to let go of her. She had no idea where she was going, but she had a bad feeling about this. "Where are you taking me?" 

Mia had been startled to see Alex suddenly turn up in Vault. Her feelings of being betrayed as well as the memory of her heart being crushed had returned to her the second her eyes fell upon him. Because of that, she had let her guard down and he had easily been able to seize her and drag her out of Vault. There wouldn't have been any point in crying for help. Isaac and the others wouldn't have heard her.

Alex let out a small sigh and shook his head in disbelief. "Where do you think I am taking you, Mia?" he asked, glancing over his shoulder and giving her a cool stare. "You are going back to Prox of course."

Mia drew in a sharp breath, feeling a sudden sensation like ice cold water plunging into her gut. So Alex had taken his betrayal a step further. He was even kidnapping her in order to drag her back to the people who had captured her. What had happened to the person who tried to save her during the attack in Imil just a few days ago? Did he have no loyalty left in him?

"What's happened to you, Alex?" Mia asked, sounding disgusted. She stared at the back of his head in disbelief. "I can't believe you have gone so low as to recapture me for those barbarians. What happened to protecting me? The people of Imil will need me! Don't you care about Imil anymore?"

"The person you knew back in Imil is no more," Alex replied coldly. "I have put my past aside. I have no allegiances anymore either. My purpose as of now is to become one of the best and strongest warriors Prox has ever seen. I would never have been able to achieve my dreams in such a weak place like Imil."

"You've changed," Mia said in a quiet voice, her eyes widening in horror. The Alex in front of her was nothing like the person she had once known. "You really aren't the Alex I used to know. How could you change so much in such a short time?"

Alex ignored her question, silently staring ahead as he continued to drag Mia along. Mia held up a hand, biting her lower lip as she gazed at it. Perhaps she would have to try attacking him to free herself. He wouldn't expect her to try it, would he? She would attack him at a vulnerable spot before he figured out her plan and then she would run. Mia knew she had to do something if she didn't want to return to Prox.

A gleaming shard of ice formed in the palm of Mia's hand. She held her breath, wrapping her fingers around the ice, and looked nervously at Alex. There weren't many vulnerable places to strike at the back, but she would only make him suspicious if she tried to lead rather than be dragged along. Getting in front was not an option.

Alex came to a sudden stop as he caught sight of the Proxian ship still in the same spot by the river. At last, he'd reached the ship and Mia's companions hadn't been able to catch up in time. Alex smirked and yanked Mia forward, pushing her in front. Mia gasped and fell to her knees, caught off balance by the sudden motion. Alex caught a glint of something in her hand and bent over, smirking as he saw the ice beginning to melt within Mia's hand.

"What's that? Were you just about to attack me, Mia?" Alex smirked, reaching out and seizing her by her hair. Mia let out a gasp of pain as she felt him pull. "I wouldn't have expected you to be so bold. I suppose you've changed as well. Too bad about the timing."

Mia gritted her teeth angrily, clenching her fist tighter. She should have been quicker. He'd managed to avoid her attack entirely by accident. Her gaze fell upon the nearby ship and her spirits sank. That had to be the ship Alex was using to take her to Prox. If she couldn't get away now, there was no hope left for her.

"I see you've noticed the ship. That baby is going to be taking us back to Prox," Alex explained. "We haven't got any time to waste. I bet your companions will have noticed your disappearance by now. It's time to go back." He sharply yanked Mia to her feet by her hair, making her cry out.

"Why do you want me to be suffering in captivity again?" Mia asked desperately as Alex pulled her toward the ship. She struggled frantically, trying to break free, but his grip remained strong. "Why are you taking me back to that awful city? Those people are monsters! They attacked Imil and murdered my father!"

Alex stopped walking, just a few metres from the ship, and turned around to stare at her. He was starting to get fed up with her constant talking and futile pleas to be released. When would Mia realise that talking like this was useless?

"You're a monster too!" Mia cried, tears streaming down her face. "You aren't any better than those evil people! I wish Saturos had just killed you instead of bringing you along, then I wouldn't have had to see you become something like this!"

Alex's eyes flashed with anger and he brought up a hand, slapping her soundly around the face. The sharp sound of his hand meeting her cheek seemed to resound for a few seconds afterward in which Alex coldly glared at Mia while she clutched her stinging cheek and softly whimpered.

"I can't believe you hurt me," Mia whispered, letting out a shaky sob. Her cheek was throbbing already from the force of his blow. "Don't you even care about me anymore?"

Alex only turned and resumed pulling her along, lifting her up upon reaching the ship and hoisting her aboard while he ascended the ladder. Mia hit the deck, kneeling and softly crying as she realised there was no escape. She was going to end up being dragged back to Prox. Even if Isaac and the others came after her, how would they even get her out?

"What is the meaning of this?" Alex demanded, standing next to Mia and looking around in shock at the ink that coated the deck as well as the tiller. One of the soldiers was clutching a dead octopus, having resorted to using his weapon as a means of getting it off the tiller. The other soldier was disgustedly trying to wipe ink from himself and finding his efforts unsuccessful.

"This stupid octopus got onto our ship and squirted ink everywhere," the soldier holding the octopus said. "Some of it got onto the tiller and now it will barely move because of the ink. We'll have to clean it up."

"We're so sorry!" The other soldier cried, hanging his head in shame. "That thing just came out of nowhere and it got him in the face, then I fell over because of this stuff on the deck, and the octopus squirted the tiller. But it shouldn't take too long to clean everything up."

Alex sighed in disgust, shaking his head. He couldn't believe how incompetent these soldiers were. Their getaway was being delayed because of an octopus and a little bit of ink. It really was quite pathetic.

"Well, hurry and clean it up," Alex snapped, pulling Mia up. "I am going to keep the Princess occupied while you do so. Please do not make me wait too long. The sooner we leave for Prox, the better. There will be people coming to rescue her after all."

The soldiers glumly nodded, exchanging relieved looks as Alex walked into the cabin with Mia. They were both feeling glad that Alex hadn't taken it upon himself to injure them as punishment. The two quickly went to look for some rags with which they could clean away the ink and got to work on cleaning the deck and tiller.

"This should be a good place to talk," Alex said, stopping halfway along the hallway within the cabin. He pushed Mia through a door and then shut it behind himself. Mia stared at him nervously, taking a few steps back as she looked around the room. There wasn't much in it, save for a few crates.

"Why are you doing this, Alex?" Mia asked tremulously. "What are you taking me back to Prox for? They don't really need me, do they?"

"Correction, we do need you now," Alex said, leaning against the door and smiling. "In fact, we found out something very interesting just afer you left. Do you remember that old song? The one that talks about Sol and Luna?"

Mia frowned in confusion, taken aback by his odd question. "Uh, yes, I do," she said hesitantly, wondering why he would ask such a thing. "Why are you asking me that?"

"I'll get to that in a minute. I've told Saturos about the song too, especially after he found that scroll. It must have been taken during the attack on Imil," Alex said, folding his arms across his chest. "You should know about the sacred scroll kept in the palace that was handed down through generations of the royal family. Few people were allowed to see it. Of course, you were one, Mia."

Mia narrowed her eyes, anger burning within herself. So those filthy Proxians had even taken that special scroll. How could they lay their filthy hands on Imil's precious treasures? It sickened her just to think about it.

"There is a very interesting connection between the scroll and the song. They talk about pretty much the same thing," Alex said. "It was also said there was a legend tied to that scroll, so it cannot be mere coincidence. The crystals have to be real. In fact, Prox has some crystals that could be the Flames of Sol."

"So you're going to try and get the crystals?" Mia cried out in disgust. "You're even going to help Prox get the other ones? That's awful. Imil was obviously protecting them. How can you do this?"

"Please do not interrupt me while I am trying to explain everything," Alex said patiently, regarding Mia as if she was only a child. "If Sol's Fires are indeed accounted for, then all we need are Luna's Tears. Now, I think that the scroll was only handed down through the royal bloodline for one very good reason."

"What is that reason?" Mia asked, her face paling. She was sure she was getting an idea of what he meant.

"We need a direct descendant of the royal bloodline to get the Teardrops of Luna for us," Alex replied triumphantly. "In other words, you, Mia, the Crown Princess of Imil."

"But... why?" Mia exclaimed. "Why do you want the treasures?"

"If the jewels gather at the sacred peak, then it is possible to attain the ultimate power," Alex replied. "Prox seems to be interested in this power and so am I."

"So..." Mia let out a bitter, incredulous laugh. "You're dragging me back to Prox so that I can be used as a tool in order to get power? Alex... you sicken me!" She let out a horrified sob and sat down on a crate, shaking with anger. Alex remained silent as he watched her cry, a cold smile on his face.

* * *

Saturos was again in the treasure room, gazing thoughtfully at three crystals that sat within the palm of his hand. They were identical in shape and size and shone from within with a gentle, orange light that seemed to softly pulsate, like fire itself. "I wonder if these crystals truly are the Flames of Sol," he muttered to himself thoughtfully. "They do look unusual enough." 

"What are you doing? Staring at your treasures again?" asked an exasperated voice from behind him. Menardi walked up to stand next to him, looking bored. "Don't you have anything better to do right now?"

"I'm not just looking at treasures," Saturos explained, showing her the amber coloured crystals. "I'm looking at these treasures. These things might actually be more than just trinkets. They might be one of the keys to getting more power. A lot of power, in fact."

"Oh, really?" Menardi raised an eyebrow. "When did you learn about this?"

"You remember that scroll you were so interested in?" Saturos asked. Menardi nodded her head in response. "Alex also told me about a song. When we looked at the two together, they seemed to tell of a real legend and the items mentioned would grant power when brought together at a sacred peak. These jewels are just one the two treasures mentioned. There may be a way to get the other jewels, but the key to getting the jewels has escaped. Alex has gone to retrieve her."

"That Princess, huh?" Menardi sighed and turned away, folding her arms. "Wasn't it enough to build ourselves a prospering city and rob other cities of treasures and riches so that we weren't starving to death in the streets? What do we need more power for?"

"We probably don't need it at this point, but I just know I never want to see this city go back to being poor and destitute," Saturos said, placing the crystals back upon their pedestal. "If there's a way to make sure that Prox remains wealthy and glorious, and the people stay happy, then I'm willing to do it."

"Well, whatever you do, please be careful," Menardi said, staring at him anxiously. "I want Prox to keep thriving as well, but there's a fine line between taking risks and just being plain reckless. What if this is reckless? I don't want you to get killed or anything. We have to stay together, don't we?"

"Don't worry, Menardi," Saturos said gently, taking one of her hands and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "I won't leave you alone." The two Proxians gazed at each other in silence, sharing a rare moment they only ever did in private.

* * *

"Finally, I've got this tiller nice and clean," the soldier said, running a rag over the wooden tiller and sighing in relief. He gave it an experimental spin, nodding in satisfaction. "It's spinning nicely as well. Steering won't be a problem anymore." 

"The deck's all shiny and polished too," said his friend, wiping his sweaty brow and dropping the ink-stained rag onto the now clean deck. "Now all I want to do is go and have a nice long soak and get all this disgusting ink off myself. I don't want to return to Prox smelling like this."

"Neither do I, but knowing Alex, he expects us to start sailing straight away and not even take a break," the soldier at the tiller said in disgust, shaking his head. "We're going to return looking like this and get laughed at, especially when everyone finds out we had so much trouble with an octopus."

"That Alex doesn't think of anyone but himself," the soldier who was currently kneeling on the deck said. "I hate that attitude of his, him thinking he's so much better than everyone else, but I suppose we haven't got any time to waste. Let's start sailing back to Prox before anyone can stop us."

"It's too late for that!" A girl's voice alerted them. The two soldiers turned in alarm to see a female teen wearing a mask ascend the ladder and leap over the side, neatly hitting the deck. Jenna reached for the dagger, her eyes narrowing. "I knew it. This ship is Proxian, and you're both from Prox as well. Alex must be here."

"Oh, one of the Princess's friends?" The kneeling soldier chuckled nervously and got to his feet. "Well, we were hoping to get away before you arrived, but I think we should be able to take down one girl."

"We're here as well!" Garet clumsily pulled himself onto the deck of the ship, standing next to Jenna in a defensive stance. "You'd better give Mia back to us right now."

"Oh, boy," the soldier at the tiller said, walking over to stand by his comrade and watching two more teens come onto the deck. "That Princess sure has a lot of friends, doesn't she? But even if it's two against four, this shouldn't be a problem. They don't look like much at all."

"These soldiers look even weaker than the one we fought when rescuing Mia," Felix said confidently. "I don't think we'll have much trouble defeating them."

"Let's hurry and get Mia back!" Isaac drew his sword, staring at the two Proxian soldiers in determination. "Right after we deal with these two."

The soldiers charged forward, prepared for battle. However, they were not prepared for the Adepts' surprising strength and were quickly felled.

"That was easier than I thought it would be," Garet remarked, poking one of the unconscious soldiers with his foot. "Did they just send Alex off with some weak soldiers or something? These guys were nothing like that Terazon. Weird."

"You're right, it was far too easy." Jenna was currently occupied with tying up the other soldier with one of the coils of rope they had found lying around on the deck. "Perhaps there was no need to send strong warriors. But, why?"

"Perhaps Alex is a strong warrior," Isaac mused, locating another coil of rope which he quickly tossed to Felix. "If Alex was powerful enough to take on anybody, then there would be no real reason to waste any other strong warriors on a mission like this."

"In which case, the real fight still has yet to come," Felix said, tying up the other soldier with the rope. "Alex probably won't be willing to let go of Mia so easily."

"He must be inside with Mia," Isaac said, looking at the cabin. "Let's hurry and save her. Alex is not going to get away with this!"

* * *

"You really are very quiet, Mia," Alex said, walking over to where she still sat on the crate. "What's the matter? It's not like you to be lost for words." 

Mia didn't answer him. She stayed still and silent, chewing anxiously on her bottom lip. If only Isaac would hurry up and come rescue her. She didn't want to go back to that awful city and she certainly did not want to help them steal the secret Imil had guarded for so long.

"Don't you see, you will help us to claim a wonderful thing," Alex said, reaching out and stroking her soft, blue hair. Mia automatically shifted away, unwilling to let him touch her. "The ultimate power. Don't you feel special, knowing that only you can find the Teardrops of Luna for us?"

"I will not help you realise your selfish dreams," Mia said stiffly, clenching her fists. "I am not going to help you or Prox."

"You won't have a choice, Mia," Alex taunted, sitting on the crate and leaning over to look at her face. "We will make you help us if necessary. You might as well just agree now." He gazed calmly into her aquamarine eyes.

"I would rather die than help the people who murdered my father and attacked my city," Mia said in a cold voice, with a serious expression on her face.

Before Alex could respond, the door burst open. He jumped to his feet, gasping in shock and anger as four people came into the room. These people whom he had not seen before, they were most likely the group Mia had been with. How could they have caught up already?

"Isaac!" Mia cried out, jumping off the crate and running past. Alex attempted to grab at her but missed, letting out a soft curse as she happily ran to the Venus Adept's side.

"Mia, are you alright?" Isaac asked anxiously, looking at her in concern.

"I'm alright now, thanks to you guys." Mia nodded, smiling happily.

"If you want to take Mia back, you will have to fight me," Alex said, stepping forward. "Are you prepared to find out my true strength?"

"Of course we are, you jerk!" Garet exclaimed, reaching for his weapon. Everybody else followed suit. The battle was about to begin.


	14. Chapter 14

**Vision**

* * *

The battle against Alex is horribly short. Oh well... I'm sure another one will come up sometime, and an even better one too. 

Camelot owns Golden Sun.

* * *

Alex drew the sword that was at his waist and started running, holding it out to strike as he gazed at his opponents. He quickly gauged their strengths in the meantime. The tall one looked like he would have a lot of stamina and surely take a long time to go down. The one with the ponytail and the blonde, they seemed evenly matched. Then there was the girl, who seemed to be more the spellcaster type. 

Isaac leaped into the fray first, swinging his sword to parry Alex's blow. The two strained against each other for a few seconds, Isaac looking contemptuously into Alex's cold eyes. Alex leaped to the side and swung again, Isaac quickly ducking and hacking back at him with his own sword.

Suddenly, the ground shook beneath Alex, as Isaac cast his Psynergy. Alex momentarily stumbled, his eyes narrowing. So, this was an Adept who controlled the power of earth. He swiftly raised a hand, summoning forth a blast of water to send Isaac flying into the nearby wall. Isaac sank to the ground, tempoarily stunned by the force of the attack.

Before Alex could turn around, a blast of fire washed over him. He looked over his shoulder in annoyance, firing a stream of water at the girl who had attacked. Jenna quickly leaped aside to dodge the attack, only getting slightly sprayed by a scatter of water droplets. She had expected retaliation after that sneak attack, and had the intuition to move before he could hit her.

Felix ran in next, casting a quick Spire before slashing at Alex with his sword. Alex winced as the heavy chunks of stone rained down on him, narrowly managing to block the blow before it directly connected with his body. He called up several shards of ice, firing them rapidly at the brunet. Felix quickly shielded himself against most of the attack, though some of it managed to hit.

Garet was next to attack, making a plume of fire blast up from the ground below Alex and engulf him. Alex hissed in pain as it mercilessly burned him, calling up a quick downpour of rain to cool himself down. He turned, firing thick chunks of ice in Garet's direction. Garet ended up falling back as the ice crashed down on him and caused him to slip.

Mia watched anxiously as the battle raged on, chewing her bottom lip. She hoped that they would be able to beat Alex. He seemed to be more powerful than she ever remembered him being. The Proxian soldiers must have been training him well for him to become strong so quickly. She clenched her fists, fingernails digging sharply into her palms.

Eventually, Alex found that the combined might of the four was beginning to get a bit much and he fell to his knees, gasping. He had used up most of his energy walking to Vault and back and was too tired to continue battling. "I guess I can't keep battling you riffraff any longer. You are all stronger than I expected."

"Looks like we won!" Garet exclaimed triumphantly, throwing a glare of loathing at Alex. "You'd better not try coming after Mia again, because we definitely won't let anyone get their hands on her."

"Why?" Alex asked, looking at the group with narrowed eyes. "Why do you people care so much about Mia? You haven't known her for that long and already you're all willing to put your necks out to protect her."

"Because we care about her. She is one of us now and we'll definitely not let Prox use her for their plots," Isaac declared, looking at Mia with a smile. Mia smiled back, her face slightly flushed. "There is no way you're going to take Mia, especially if she doesn't want to go, so how about you go back to Prox and tell those Proxians that as well."

"Heh... I'm amazed Mia made such good friends already," Alex muttered, shaking his head. "But I can tell you this. Prox will not give up so easily. From now on, you had all better watch your backs."

"We get the picture," Felix said tiredly, hitting him sharply in the back of the head with a piece of wood and knocking him out. Alex slumped over on the floor unconscious. "He talked too much. Let's go now before he decides to recover his energy and try again."

"Do you know why Prox is after you? Is it because you're a Princess?" Jenna asked Mia anxiously, as the group hurried to leave the ship. The soldiers were still tied up and struggling to break free of their bonds. The Adepts got off without trouble and started walking back to Vault.

"No, they have another reason now," Mia said heavily, recalling the story of how she was supposed to be key to that legend. "I'll tell you all about it when we get back to Vault."

"Hey, maybe we should stop at Kalay," Isaac suggested suddenly. "We can get better weapons and stuff there. If Prox is going to keep coming after us, we need to get better. I think our victory against Alex could have been a fluke."

"Yeah, he really just looked more tired than anything," Garet recalled. "And it really would suck if he returned with an army of Proxians and we couldn't beat them. Let's hurry and get some awesome weapons!"

"That's a good idea. We've saved up enough money that I think we can afford it," Felix agreed. "We'll buy weapons then return to Vault."

The group walked into Kalay, only being briefly stopped by the guards. The guards were satisfied knowing they were simply visiting to go shopping and let them go on through. Once inside the city, they walked to the nearest weapons store. There were a vast array of different weapons on display for them.

Felix looked thoughtfully at a display of swords, wondering which one would be the best to use. Eventually, he settled on a long, heavy looking sword which was a deep brown colour with reddish hues. Felix then picked up the sword, momentarily surprised at how heavy it really was, then walked over to the counter.

"How much is this sword?" Felix asked, placing the sword down on the counter, glancing at the man who stood on the other side.

"Ah, the Claymore, eh? It is a wonderful sword and great for any rookie warrior," the man said approvingly. Felix raised an eyebrow at that. Had he just been called a rookie? Did he actually look like one? "Well, the worth of the Claymore is four thousand coins."

"Alright," Felix said, pulling a heavy pouch of coins out of his pocket. He quickly counted out the amount of coins, then pushed them over to the man. "Here you go."

"Excellent." The man picked up the coins and put them away, smiling broadly. "The Claymore is now yours. Be sure to treat it well."

Treat it well? Was it a person? Felix quietly sighed, deciding it would be better not to say anything, and quickly picked up the Claymore. "Oh, yeah, and I would like to sell my old sword too." He pulled it out of its sheath, handing it over. As he sheathed the Claymore, the man counted out some coins, then gave them to Felix as payment for his old sword.

Next, Isaac stepped up, holding a Great Axe. Though he usually used swords in battle, he'd had some experience with axes and wanted to get a little more used to them. An axe, rather than a sword, could have some advantages.

"Ah, an axe user eh?" The man glanced at the weapon, then stated the weapon's value. Isaac quickly handed over the payment, as well as his old sword. He then put away his brand new axe and walked away.

"An axe? Really?" Felix said, as Isaac showed him his new weapon. "You're sure you know how to use them properly?"

"I'm getting a little tired of using a sword all the time," Isaac replied confidently. "I'm sure I'll be just as good with an axe. Don't worry about it, I've practiced with them once before."

"Once? Oh, well, I guess you'll be alright," Felix said, though he sounded a little doubtful. What was the point in picking an entirely different type of weapon when you were so used to the one you had before?

"I've always wanted to try a mace!" Garet exclaimed, picking up a Battle Mace. He quickly rushed over to the counter to buy it, as Isaac and Felix watched on in consternation.

"We're trying to buy weapons so that we'll fight better and now he wants to try something new? This is like a step backwards," Felix muttered, shaking his head.

"Yeah. Garet doesn't have much sense," Isaac said, letting out a small sigh. "Well, he's bound to just run in there swinging it anyway, so there won't be much difference in his combat style. We'll be just fine."

"Hmm." Jenna was currently examining a Battle Rapier, turning it around in her hands and giving it a quick thrust through the air. "Yeah, I think this will do," she said to herself, walking up to the counter once Garet had brought his mace.

"You with these young men, then?" The man peered at her, looking curious. "I bet you have a pretty face under that little mask. Why wear it?"

"I want to buy this," Jenna said stiffly, smacking the short sword down onto the counter, not in the least impressed by his attitude. "How much is it?"

"Hey, now, it was only a question. No need to get annoyed," the man protested, before quickly telling her the cost. Jenna put down the payment without a word and walked away with her new weapon, still feeling annoyed.

"What a creep," Jenna muttered, standing next to Garet and sulkily staring at the floor. "He was practically flirting with me there."

"He was just wondering what you looked like under that mask," Garet said. "But I guess it did sound a bit out of order."

"I bet you're just like him!" Jenna scowled. "You probably like flirting with strange girls too."

"It's true anyway, you do have a pretty face under that mask," Garet teased. "You totally should take it off."

"I have my reasons for wearing it!" Jenna protested, folding her arms and turning away with a peevish expression.

"Aw, don't get angry. I was just kidding around," Garet said in an effort to appease her. "Are you mad at me now?"

"Eh..." Jenna huffed. "No. I'm just not in such a great mood right now."

Mia was the last to pick a weapon, still looking around for one that suited her. She wandered to the section where artifacts were held, curiously gazing at the shining weapons displayed. A glimmer of blue caught her eye and she leaned over, catching sight of a slender wooden rod with a shining sapphire fixed on the top. Mia immediately picked it up, deciding she had found the perfect weapon, and hurried to the counter.

"How much is this?" Mia asked breathlessly, placing down the staff in front of the man.

"This Frost Wand costs five thousand coins, young miss," the man replied, smiling as he looked over the staff. "A good choice, indeed. I can understand why a beautiful looking weapon like this caught your eye. It would suit you very much."

"Oh..." Mia blushed, caught off guard by the compliment. "Really?"

"I suggest you sell your weapons rather than flirting with your customers," said an annoyed voice from behind Mia. The weapons seller flinched as he saw Isaac's irritated expression.

"Um, here you go," Mia said, quickly fishing out five thousand coins. Her cheeks were pink with embarassment as she paid up. Mia then walked away clutching her new purchase, Isaac following behind.

"I bet you didn't have to put up with this in Imil," Isaac said, shaking his head. "Random people wouldn't say such bold things, would they?"

"Oh, it's fine, really," Mia said, though she sounded slightly flustered. "I don't expect to be treated like a Princess in a foreign city after all. You don't have to stick up for me like that, Isaac."

"I just felt the way he was acting wasn't the right way to behave toward a lady," Isaac said awkwardly, staring at his feet.

"So you weren't just jealous, huh?" Garet spoke up nearby, a sly smirk on his face.

"Garet!" Isaac exclaimed, his face flushing. "Of course not!"

"Isaac and Mia, sitting in a tree," Garet said in a singsong voice.

"Stop it!" Isaac yelled, throwing a playful hit. Garet defended himself against the blows. Mia watched on, feeling perplexed, then began giggling in amusement.

"So, we're done choosing new weapons then?" Jenna asked, smiling slightly as she watched Isaac and Garet continue with their playfighting, trying to ignore the pang of regret deep down.

"Looks like it," Felix spoke. "Okay, everyone, let's return to Vault now, shall we? It sounds like Mia has got a lot to tell us."

"Yes, I do," Mia answered, nodding fervently. "I'll tell you all about it when we get back."

"Well, let's hurry back then," Isaac said, backing away from Garet. "We want to get back before nightfall, at least."

The sun was already starting to set by the time the group had returned to Vault. They were all tired from walking, and they stumbled sleepily into the inn, some of them yawning and blinking heavily.

"Gosh, I feel so tired," Garet murmured, rubbing his eyes. "Walking so much isn't fun at all. Let's not do that again, okay?"

"We didn't have much choice," Isaac reminded him, glancing toward a seating area. "There are some seats over there. Let's sit down."

The tired teens quickly walked over to sit on the comfortable seats, sighing in relief as they finally got the chance to relax after a tiring day. Mia looked around expectantly, wondering if everyone was ready to hear the story. She still remembered every word Alex had spoken to her, the harsh truth that he was really willing to betray his own city just to help get power. Mia was still boiling inside with anger as she thought about what a selfish traitor he had become.

"So, um." Mia coughed, getting their undivided attention. "Should I tell you all now or shall we wait until tomorrow? Everyone seems kind of tired."

"No, it's okay. I'm listening," Jenna murmured, though she was slumped against a chair with her eyes closed and seemed ready to fall asleep at any second. Garet wasn't looking much better either. He would happily have gone to sleep right there in front of everyone.

"Go ahead, Mia," Isaac encouraged, sitting forward with an attentive expression on her face. "It probably shouldn't wait. Tell us."

"Alright, then." Mia launched into her tale of everything Alex had spoken of. She spoke of the song, the hymn, and the supposed legend that she was meant to be the key to. Eventually, she finished the tale. "So, you see, that's why Prox wants me back. They want to use me to get these Teardrops of Luna."

"Really? It all sounds a bit far-fetched to me," Garet said slowly, blinking in confusion. He hadn't been able to understand a lot of it, but it still sounded rather surreal to him. A real legend, involving artifacts of great power? What were the chances of that?

"I know it sounds strange, but it must be true," Mia answered. "Prox thinks they have the other set of jewels. The tears must really exist, and I'm needed to get them."

"But you don't know how you're supposed to actually get them?" Felix asked. Mia shook her head in response.

"Alex didn't say anything about that," Mia replied. "So, either he didn't feel like telling me that part, or he doesn't know how. The song and the scroll don't say anything about getting the Tears, and I have no idea how Prox got the Flames."

"Well, it sounds pretty cool," Jenna mumbled, seeming even further on the verge of sleep as she blinked heavily and yawned. "Can I sleep now?"

"Wouldn't you rather sleep in a bed tonight, Mask?" Isaac asked, giving her a sideways glance. "We'll go up soon. Just try to hang on."

"So, uh, what are we going to do about it?" Garet asked. "I feel like we should do something."

"Whatever these treasures really are, these Tears, they should obviously be protected," Felix said. "Obviously, we shouldn't let Prox get their hands on them."

"I think we should do something as well," Mia said, her eyes lighting up. "In fact, I think that I am actually supposed to get the Teardrops. It's a strange feeling that I have. I can't quite explain it, but I think it's... my destiny. But I don't want to get them for Prox."

"You don't have to do it for Prox," Isaac interjected, looking serious. "You can do it of your own will, and protect the teardrops. Whatever you decide, Mia, I'm alright with it. We'll help you, won't we?" He looked around expectantly at his friends.

"Does that mean we'll have a real quest?" Garet was suddenly wide awake. "That sounds pretty exciting to me. Let's help Mia and go and look for these treasures! Felix, what do you think about it?"

"I'm definitely up for it," Felix said. "Perhaps after this, we would even be stronger and we could try and rescue everyone from Prox. We can't improve by sitting in Vale and doing nothing, can we?"

Jenna had already drifted off into a state where she was half dreaming, barely aware of her surroundings anymore as she snuggled into the soft, warm and comfortable chair, welcoming sleep's warm embrace as it folded itself around her and pulled her in.

Suddenly, she saw herself surrounded by screaming, crying children. She was crying as well, thick, wet tears slipping rapidly down her cheeks, as along with them, she begged her captors for release. Her hands were bound tightly with chains, her clothes scruffed and dirty.

Where were they? She had no idea. They were somewhere in the wilderness, walking along the path. She was so tired and worn from all the travelling, as were her companions, but the captors would not let them go or even allow them to rest. Suddenly, her legs gave way and she fell to her knees in despair.

"Hey! You!" A loud voice behind her shouted. A knee dug into the small of her back, causing her to gasp in pain, and then rough shoulders hauled her to her feet. For a moment, she was looking into frightening crimson eyes. "Keep moving." And so she continued walking, her body aching in tiredness and despair as she walked on.

"Hey, wake up. Mask!" A gentle shake of the shoulder roused her from her sleeping state. Jenna blinked and looked sleepily up, seeing that everyone was staring at her. Garet had just shaken her shoulder in an effort to wake her.

"Are you okay?" Mia asked, looking at Jenna in concern. "I guess you're really tired, aren't you?"

"Sorry... I just..." Jenna sat forward, shaking her head and blinking rapidly. "I had a strange dream just now. I think it was when Prox was capturing me."

"Really? What happened in the dream?" Felix asked curiously. "Did you see anything interesting?"

"Not much," Jenna said quickly, sitting back and frowning. She was hardly even sure of what she had seen, just the fact she was chained, tired from walking and of course, the glaring red eyes. "I was just walking, tired, and they wouldn't let us rest."

"Us?" Isaac repeated quietly, his brow furrowing slightly. However, she didn't seem to be so interested in explaining, as she looked pointedly at Mia. Could it be that she had been taken in a group? Then... he shook his head, stopping his thoughts. It probably wasn't the time to hope just yet.

"Okay, Mask, here's the deal. I feel that we should go and get the Teardrops of Luna," Mia explained. "I have a very strong feeling that I am supposed to do this, perhaps to protect them from Prox. Isaac, Garet and Felix wish to help. How about you?"

"Uh, okay, I don't have a problem with that," Jenna replied, once she had taken it all in. "I want to help you, Mia. Let's go and find the Teardrops together, everyone." She smiled, looking determined.

"So, nobody knows what we're supposed to do or where to go?" Garet asked uncertainly. "All we know is that we need Mia to get them?"

"Yes, that's all we know," Felix replied. "We'll have to just look around, hope we can find some clues. I'm sure we can think of something, but let's leave that for tomorrow. We're too tired to think about it now."

"You're looking very tired yourself, Mia," Isaac spoke up, noticing that Mia suddenly seemed pale and drawn. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm alright... I should just rest..." Mia shifted forward slightly, suddenly getting a head rush and almost slipping right off onto the floor. Luckily, Isaac had quickly moved forward to catch her before she could fall down.

"Take it easy," Isaac insisted, letting her lean against him. "You've had a hard day."

"Sorry," Mia mumbled sleepily, opening her mouth in a wide yawn. "I feel so exhausted, both emotionally and physically, and I guess it's built up. I'll be fine in a minute."

"It's okay. You take as long as you need," Isaac replied, holding her tightly and forgetting about the others present. Mia raised her head, gazing into his blue eyes, the blood rushing to her face. Suddenly, she felt so warm and secure in his hold, and something more she couldn't place her finger on.

"Hey, don't forget we're still here," Garet said, interrupting the moment. The two Adepts practically jumped, Mia quickly sitting down and Isaac backing away, flushing in mild embarassment. He had really forgotten about everyone else for a second, just thinking of holding Mia right at that moment.

"Sheesh, Garet. They were having a moment!" Jenna protested, throwing him a mock glare. "Why did you have to go and do that?"

"Let's go and eat now," Felix said, getting to his feet. "Then we can all have a good night's rest. It sounds like we'll have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow."

So, everyone went to the dining area and dined on a hearty meal, having worked up some large appetites after all that walking. As they ate their food, Mia talked about her life in Imil, her eyes misting over as she remembered how peaceful and harmonious her city had been, before Prox had come rampaging through it and killed her father.

After dinner, everybody went straight to bed, thankful to get some sleep at last, tired as they were from their exhausting day. Everyone slept soundly, blissfully unaware of the threat that was moving through Vault that night. People were moving around, their fingers snatching up things that did not belong to them, silently prowling around and stealing. They then slipped away to hide their stolen goods.

Again, Mia dreamed of the mysterious angel that night. She was wandering down a path, lost in the thick, suffocating fog that surrounded her, and unable to see where she was going. Suddenly, her foot gave way to crumbling rocks at the side and she screamed as she suddenly found herself falling, grasping desperately at the edge of that unseen cliff, before she began to plunge into the yawning abyss below.

Fortunately, she never got to reach the bottom as halfway down, she felt strong arms wrapping around her waist. Her descent was stopped and she looked up, flooded with relief as she found herself in the arms of her angel. His wings beat quietly against the air as he gazed into her eyes, then he began to fly up, kissing her passionately. Mia closed her eyes as she savoured the feel of his soft lips upon hers.


	15. Chapter 15

**Vision**

* * *

Hooray, filler subplot... yeah, the whole thief stuff is really just filler... 

Camelot owns Golden Sun.

* * *

When Isaac awoke in the morning, he was suddenly aware of feeling unsettled. He wasn't sure why, but he had a bad feeling deep in his gut. There was nothing wrong with the room, so what could it be? Isaac sat up in bed and looked around, his eyes falling upon the door. For some reason, the door had been left ajar, but he swore that he had closed it last night before he went to bed. Could someone have opened it in the night while he slept? 

Isaac looked at Felix, then Garet, both of who were sound asleep in their beds. Perhaps one of them had just left the room, then come back and forgotten to close the door. Probably Garet. So what was this bad feeling about? Isaac lifted up the bedclothes and put his legs over the side, quietly getting out of bed.

As he walked over to look over at his things that had been neatly placed at the end of his bed, he immediately noticed that something was wrong. In fact, one particular thing was missing. Isaac quietly gasped in shock as he picked up the empty belt and scabbard, his eyes narrowing. His Great Axe had apparently vanished in the night. He didn't think Garet would have hidden it for a prank. Then that only meant one thing.

"It's been stolen!" Isaac gasped under his breath, dropping the sheath to the floor. A thief had been in here last night and even stolen his weapon. He quickly checked underneath the bed and in other places around the room, but the axe was nowhere to be found. It had definitely been taking from this room.

"Felix! Wake up!" Isaac hurried over to where the brunet soundly slept and began shaking him, as he urged him to get up. Eventually, Felix stirred, blinking his eyes sleepily and giving Isaac a slightly disgruntled look. He didn't appreciate being woken up in the morning. "Something's happened!"

"Huh?" Felix sat up, yawning slightly and pushing back the messy brown bangs that framed his face. "What is it? What happened?"

"One of my things has been stolen," Isaac said urgently. "You should check your stuff as well, in case something of yours has been taken too. I think there might have been a thief in here last night."

"I don't believe this," Felix moaned grumpily, pushing aside the bedclothes and looking sulky. "It's one thing after another these days. Can't we ever get a break?" Isaac just smiled ruefully. He felt pretty much the same. So much was happening at once, it seemed.

Isaac quickly sat down on his bed and pulled on his boots. He then picked up his armour and put it on as well, as Felix got up and started checking his own things. The quicker they got up and went to find those thieves, the better. Hopefully the thieves were still close by for that matter. They were not going to get away with stealing his weapon.

"Nothing of mine seems to have been stolen," Felix said, thoroughly checking his things. "I'm glad they didn't take my sword. That wasn't cheap. I guess maybe they couldn't take too much or something. But Garet might have lost something."

"I'll wake him up," Isaac said, getting to his feet. He glanced over at the snoring Mars Adept, looking slightly sceptical. "Well, at least I'll try to. It might not be easy though." He walked across the room toward the slumbering lump that was Garet and reached out to shake him.

"Hey, Garet?" Isaac said, shaking harder. Garet just responded with an unearthly snore, causing Isaac to sigh in exasperation. "You really sleep like a rock, don't you?" Isaac grumbled, reaching out and pinching his nose. A few seconds later, Garet was flailing his arms and gasping. Isaac calmly withdrew his hand.

"Geez, Isaac! What was that for?" Garet yelled, sitting up and glaring at him in annoyance. "Were you trying to kill me just now?"

"No. I was trying to get you to wake up," Isaac replied, not at all looking sympathetic. "You're pretty hard to wake up sometimes. Anyway, we've got a bit of a problem at the moment and we do need your help."

"What is it?" Garet sighed, glancing over at Felix who was quickly getting his things together. "Are we leaving already? It's still morning."

"Not yet. We've got a problem with thieves," Isaac told him. "Someone came in the night and stole my new axe. Perhaps something of yours has been stolen, so you had better check, then hurry up and get ready. We're going to find those thieves."

"Please tell me you're kidding," Garet moaned, staring at his serious expression. "Oh. You're not kidding. Well, isn't that just great?" He quickly got up and went to check his stuff. "Well, I don't think anything of mine was taken... everything seems to be here."

"So they decided to just pick on me?" Isaac complained, sitting on the edge of the bed and waiting as Garet started to get ready. "Do they have something against me in particular?"

"Maybe they just didn't want to draw too much attention," Felix suggested. "By taking only one thing from a room with three people, they probably don't expect anyone to panic and start looking for them. But of course we're going to look for them."

* * *

Mia awoke from a pleasant dream of the past in Imil, feeling the familiar rush of sadness as she remembered how much things had changed. She gazed at the wall that faced her, trying to control her emotions. It was no use feeling like this every morning. Perhaps someday she could return home, but for the moment, she had something more important to do. 

What was going to happen to her after this? Surely, she would have to return home to her people. They would be terribly worried about her after that brutal invasion and her kidnap. The people of Imil would want to see her safe and sound.

Mia understood that with her father gone and her being the sole survivor of the royal line, things woukd be very different for her in Imil. She drew in a deep breath, her fist clutching around the bedclothes, as she thought about it. They would make her be the Queen, even. Someone needed to watch over Imil. But she'd never expected to take on that title so young. Mia had thought her father would be around for a long time.

"Am I really ready to become Queen?" Mia spoke out loud, her forehead furrowed in a frown. Of course, the moment she had been born, that had been her fate. But so soon? Why had her father even had to die?

"Uh? What did you say?" A sleepy voice mumbled from beneath the bedclothes on the other bed in the same room. Mia turned her head to see a mess of reddish brown hair emerge from underneath the sheets, followed by half-closed eyes. Apparently Jenna had just woken up, but was in the process of trying to go back to sleep.

"Oh, nothing, Mia said quickly, smiling in slight embarassment. She'd completely forgotten there was someone else in the room and even spoken out loud in the process. "I was just talking to myself, that's all."

"Right... I'm going back to sleep..." Jenna murmured, quickly disappearing back underneath the sheets. Mia smiled and looked up, staring thoughtfully up at the ceiling. Of course she couldn't go against fate. But fate seemed to have caught up with her too early. She would return, the palace would be rebuilt, and she would be sitting upon that throne her father had sat upon.

Maybe it was selfish to think it, but Mia was glad to be not returning to Imil straight away. For just a while, she wanted to have her freedom and not be burdened, as she travelled with her friends. Of course, they had something much more important to do right now. She needed to find the Teardrops of Luna. For now, that took priority over claiming the throne.

What would her father think if he knew what she was doing? Chasing after a legend that probably wasn't true, instead of returning to the people who needed her most? If he was even alive, he would probably have told her the people mattered more than anything, but for as long as Prox knew about Imil's secrets and were trying to use her to get these artifacts of power, she needed to do this. The sacred tears had to be protected.

A sharp knock on the door jolted Mia out of her thoughts. She glanced over at the other bed, hearing a disgruntled moan, and noticed the lump moving. Evidently, Jenna had just burrowed even deeper beneath the sheets and did not seem to want to get up any time soon. That meant Mia would have to answer the door herself. Mia quickly got up, out of bed, and walked over to answer the door.

As Mia opened the door, she saw Isaac standing in the doorway and giving her an anxious look. "Oh, Isaac? Is there something wrong?"

"There's kind of an emergency at the moment," Isaac said in a rush, glancing over at the bed where Jenna lay stubbornly beneath the sheets. "Can you get Mask up, and both of you get ready then come down for breakfast? We'll tell you what's happening there."

"Alright," Mia replied, watching as he walked away. She then shut the door and walked over to Jenna's bed, feeling slightly sympathetic. Everyone just wanted to rest. Mia felt the same. But it seemed some kind of emergency had come up without warning. "Jenna, I'm afraid you'll have to get up now. It sounded pretty urgent."

"This sucks!" Jenna complained loudly, throwing aside the bedclothes and scowling in annoyance. "What is this big emergency anyway? Can't we ever just get a rest? Yesterday, we had a kidnap and a rescue. What is it today?"

"I'm sure it's not as serious," Mia assured, picking up a comb and pulling it through her tangled blue hair, taking out the knots. "Maybe something just happened. We'll find out at breakfast. For now, you'll just have to get ready."

"Sheesh. If this is something unimportant, someone's going to get hurt," Jenna said in a dangerous voice, pulling on her boots with sharp, furious yanks. She then put on her mask and reached for a hairbrush. "I really feel like hurting someone."

"I'm sure it was important enough to get us all up," Mia said, tying back her hair neatly. She watched as Jenna furiously tied up her own hair, glaring at the mirror that hung on the wall. "You really aren't much of a morning person, are you?"

"No... I'm used to early mornings, or at least I used to be," Jenna sighed, folding her arms and turning away with a pensive expression. "They used to make us get up at the crack of dawn and get to work straight away. So, really, I shouldn't be complaining about something as minor as this."

"You were very tired last night. It's understandable you would want to sleep in a bit longer." Mia smiled. "But try not take it out on them, okay? I'm sure they had a good reason. Let's go down to breakfast now."

* * *

"Good morning," Mia said in an upbeat voice as she approached the table where Isaac, Felix and Garet were already sitting. She sat down and eagerly reached to pick a croissant from the basket at the center of the table. The basket contained several croissants and slices of toast. A small plate with little jars of various condiments was also placed next to the basket. 

"Morning, guys," Jenna mumbled in a half-hearted tone as she plopped down in the seat next to Mia's. She reached out to pick a slice of toast and then began spreading butter thinly over it. As she next picked up a small jar of marmalade, she looked around expectantly. "So, what's this emergency we were dragged out of bed for?"

"I didn't much appreciate being dragged out of bed. It's not like they even took any of my things," Garet muttered, shaking his head. "Blame Isaac, he's kicking up a fuss because some thief came into the room last night and stole his axe."

"Garet, be a bit more quiet!" Felix said urgently, throwing him a look. "The thieves could be in this room right now," he said, sounding more hushed this time, "and they might overhear us talking about them. If they do, they will know we're looking for them, and we want to be careful."

"Oh, yeah? Well, I think those stupid thieves should be coming for us, not the other way around! It would make them easier to find," Garet argued. He looked around, wondering if anybody else in the dining area seemed particularly suspicious. "Then we can beat them up and get the stuff back."

"We don't even know how many there are," Isaac cautioned, looking weary. Of course, Garet would just want to get in on the action, even if he had been dragged out of bed just for this. "I think we need to find out who they are and where we can find them first."

"Yeah, well, this isn't Prox!" Garet exclaimed. "We're not going to have some giant warrior coming after us with lots of sharp and dangerous weapons! These are just common thieves we are talking about, ordinary people. Well, at least... they probably aren't much."

"Will you stop arguing so much! You're getting on my nerves!" Jenna exclaimed through a mouthful of toast. She quickly swallowed. "Anyway, they could be dangerous, so why don't we just be quiet and figure out what we're supposed to do first?" She reached up, wiping her mouth with a napkin.

"So, it sounds like there's a bit of a problem with thieves at the moment," Mia said quietly. "That's awful. Vault seems like such a nice, peaceful town. How can people just come in and do such things? Thieves are terrible people."

"We're going to find out where those thieves are," Isaac said determinedly. "They can't have gone far, I'll bet, because it doesn't sound like the people have really noticed there's an outbreak of thievery. They might be planning to have another round of stealing, until they attract too much attention, then they will run away with the loot."

"So, if we assume that's what they are doing, that means the thieves are still in this town and they are hiding the loot somewhere," Felix speculated. "It shouldn't be too hard to find them and get the stolen goods back."

"Those thieves can't be terribly bright," Garet said out loud. "I mean, they can't just steal a bunch of stuff and run away before anyone can find them? Wow, they really are idiots. We'll be able to beat them easily."

"Mia, maybe we should check our stuff and make sure the thieves didn't steal anything from us," Jenna said. "Those thieves could have taken something from our room as well. I didn't hear anything last night, but I slept pretty soundly."

"Yeah. The boys didn't hear that guy who stole Isaac's axe," Mia said, standing up and smiling. "It's not good to have your guard down. Supposing Prox sent someone after us and you were all sleeping like babies while they did something?"

"Well, obviously, the thieves were very careful," Felix said, sighing slightly. "I wasn't aware of anyone ever coming into the room. Anyway, you go and check your stuff. We'll regroup outside."

As Mia and Jenna quickly headed up to their room, the boys got up and wandered outside, looking around curiously as they left the inn.

"It's hard to tell there are even thieves around," Garet said, looking at someone who walked past and letting out a frustrated sigh. "How do you tell if someone is a thief anyway? Do they make it obvious?"

"Of course not," Isaac replied. "We'll just have to look and see if anyone is acting suspicious in some way. It's a small town, so it shouldn't take long for us to find those dirty thieves."

"We can ask around too," Felix added. "Someone's bound to have noticed something. But let's not get hasty. We should wait for the girls to come back down before we start investigating the situation."

* * *

"Well, all my things seem to be here," Jenna said, after a thorough look through the few possessions that she had. She really didn't have much stuff at all, and wasn't surprised that the thieves wouldn't have bothered pinching anything. "How about you, Mia?"

Mia suddenly let out a small cry as she looked into a small pouch and frantically turned it upside down, a few small artifacts falling out. They were the accessories she had been wearing the day the Proxians took her from Imil and she had carefully kept them safe. They were precious to her.

"Mia? Something of yours got taken?" Jenna walked over to sit on the bed next to her, gazing at the tiny pile of jewellery. There were a couple of bracelets, a ring, and some gleaming earrings. "You've got some pretty stuff," she said, picking up one of the bracelets and turning it over. "Jewellery isn't my thing though."

"My necklace!" Mia burst out, her eyes welling up with tears. She bit down on her bottom lip, agonised by her loss. "It was my most favourite and precious one, I was wearing it when I got taken away from Imil. It used to be my mother's. Those thieves took it from me! How could they?"

"Oh, Mia," Jenna sighed, reaching over and patting her back as she struggled not to cry. "It's okay. We're going to find those thieves, beat them up and get the stuff back. Don't worry, I'm sure we'll find your necklace."

"Yeah... of course we'll find them," Mia said, quietly sniffling and stuffing the jewellery back into the pouch. "It was just a nasty shock to see they took one of my most precious things. Thieves are terrible people. They are definitely going to be sorry for stealing our things!"

"Well, let's go and see the guys now. They must be waiting for us outside," Jenna said, getting up and clenching a fist in confidence. "It's time to hunt down those thieves and give them what they deserve!"

* * *

The girls quickly rejoined everyone else outside the inn, telling them what else had been stolen in the night from their own room. Isaac silently swore he would give the thief who had taken Mia's precious item a lot of pain, but thought better about speaking it out loud. Everyone wanted to punish those thieves right now, and he hardly wished to make them wonder why he would stick up for Mia in particular. 

"So, what do you think we should do first?" Garet asked, looking around expectantly.

"We can do a number of things," Jenna said, holding up her fingers and tapping them. "Ask people if they've seen anything strange, look for suspicious looking people, or look for the loot itself. I bet it's not too hard to find in this place. If we find the loot, we'll surely find the thieves too."

"That sure sounds like a lot to do," Garet replied, looking slightly fazed.

"It does," Isaac agreed. "Perhaps if we split up and did these things separately, then it might be easier and we can regroup and find the thieves that way."

"Travelling in a group might be safer," Felix said, sounding slightly reluctant. "But these thieves probably aren't terribly strong and we've got Psynergy, so even if we attract trouble alone, we can handle it. Okay, let's split up then."

"Well then, let's start," Mia said, clutching her Frost Wand in her hands tightly. She was definitely going to get her mother's necklace back, one way or another, even if she had to force those thieves to hand it over. "I can't wait to punish them already."

"Alright!" Garet raised a fist, sounding enthusiastic. "We're gonna get you, you lousy, good-for-nothing thieves! Prepare yourselves!" he shouted.

Isaac winced at the shout, and turned to Felix with a despairing expression. "Is it really safe for Garet to go off on his own?"

"Oh, don't worry. Even if he attracts them, he'll just try to burn them or charge at them, screaming and swinging that mace," Felix replied. "It will be enough to scare those thieves away, that's for sure."

"Heh. This should be fun," Jenna muttered darkly, putting a hand on her Battle Rapier, strapped tightly to her waist. "I am definitely looking forward to this."

As the group split up and began walking their separate ways, none of them noticed a scruffy looking man with long, dark hair watching them intently. His beady eyes narrowed suspiciously and his mouth twisted into an ugly grimace. He had been watching them for a while now, memorising the way each person looked, as well as listening carefully. Now he could go and alert his group to these young upstarts. Thinking they could take down the thieves? The nerve of them indeed. The man turned and disappeared around the side of the building.

* * *

While the man was watching the Adepts, then sneaking off behind the building, the leader of the thieves was currently eyeing the treasure his men had picked up last night, a triumphant smile fixed upon his face. It had been another successful night, with not a single one of his men caught stealing. It was all because of him, the 'brains' of the group, who told his underlings what to do, and he himself didn't do much for that matter, but he was admired by his loyal men still. 

"Hey, boss." The leader was not alone, for his underlings were also in the same room as him. There were few jobs allocated to the thieves, especially during the daytime. If they had nothing to do, they usually ended up watching the treasure. He glanced up at the brigand who had just spoken, raising an eyebrow in question. "We gonna get paid or what?"

"Silence, Ralph," his boss spoke sternly, cracking his hairy knuckles and shooting Ralph a stern look of reproach. "When we leave this miserable excuse for a town, then I will sort out your wages. So shut up and let's figure out how to get out of here first."

"But I thought that was your job, Clyde," a thief pointed out accusingly. He jabbed a pudgy finger directly at his boss, his mouth split into a grin which displayed his dirty yellow teeth. "You tell us."

"Be quiet!" Clyde thundered, his face going red in anger. "Why, I oughtta... I don't know... but we should get out as soon as possible. I'm trying to think of a way, but if you miserable excuses for bandits don't shut your mouths, we'll never get out and they might throw us in jail! Did you think about that? Huh?"

Rather than replying to Clyde's harsh questions, the thieves shuffled their feet and mumbled apologies under their breath. Clyde sharply nodded, showing his satisfaction. His men, though loose tongued, were rather obedient and would quickly mellow down once he had given them a severe tongue lashing.

The silence that followed, in which Clyde would have begun to think about how they were going to escape from Vault with their newly stolen loot, was soon interrupted by a series of sharp knocks on the door. It was the secret signal, three short knocks and a pause, followed by two more knocks. That was how the thieves knew when it was one of their own and not someone else prying around.

"Who's there?" A nimble, tall and gangly thief sprang towards the door and leaned against it, pressing his ear close so that he would be able to hear. Sure, whoever was at the door had used the secret signal, but there was no harm in being careful. Especially since they had a cartload of treasure in the room.

"It's me, Terry." A loud, panicked voice was coming through through the door. "Hurry up and open this door, I've got some urgent news to tell the boss. I mean it, it's urgent!"

"All right, if you say so, then you may come in," the gangly thief drawled, stepping back and wrenching open the door. Terry burst in and clumsily shambled up to the boss while the thief slammed the door shut behind him. They all watched Terry expectantly, waiting for what he had to say.

"Well?" Clyde asked impatiently, staring down at Terry who was a head shorter than he was. "Aren't you supposed to be on the lookout team this morning? Did you see something that required our attention? A diamond ring? A woman with too much jewellery for her own good? Go on, spill!"

"No, nothing like that. I swear it's important more important than that," said Terry hastily, brushing back his dishevelled hair and blinking owlishly at his boss. "There are people looking for us, I saw them and I was listening to them. They seem to be pretty upset about their stuff and are coming to get us if they find us... five of them!"

"Five people coming after us? Hmm... very interesting." Clyde thoughtfully rubbed his hairy chin, a gleam in his dark eyes. "Normally we get out before we attract much attention, but to have so many people after us already... this could be quite a problem. I think that we should meet them head on."

"But, boss, wouldn't it better to just get out of the town with our treasures as quickly as possible?" A desperate thief looked wildly at him, his face strained with anxiety. He nervously glanced at the treasure which was so precious to the bandits for many reasons, then back at his boss, licking his lips rapidly. "What if we actually lost to those people?"

"Silence, Bert, you worry far too much," Clyde said stonily. He turned and directed his flashing eyes at Bert, causing the thief to cower back under his dramatic stare. "They will be the losers with so many of us against five miserable people. Also, if we were to just up and leave, not only would it seem cowardly, but they would be right on our tail and might even alert the town to our presence! Or departure... you see what I mean?" Bert gulped and nodded.

An awkward silence followed afterwards as Clyde looked expectantly at each men in turn, hoping not to see any resistance in their blank expressions. He saw none, and he was glad to see this, it showed that his men truly respected him as their boss. They all looked down at the floor as he stared at them, knowing it would be rude and even offensive to stare back. The memory was still fresh in the thieves' minds, the memory of what Clyde had done to a thief who had gone too far in his rude and rebellious nature.

"Very well." Clyde placed a hand on the hilt of his sword, held securely in its scabbard at his waist. He grinned ominously. "Then we shall go and sort out these pesky meddling people. Terry, you can help me find them, since you have seen them with your own eyes."

The majority of the group of thieves left the room in a cacophony of heavy, clumsy footsteps, leaving only a couple of skilled bandits behind to guard the treasure. The thieves marched through the streets of Vault, seeking out the Adepts who were looking for them. One thief had the advantage, knowing who he was looking for, while the Adepts had no idea who they were seeking. In a way, the pursuers had suddenly become the pursued.


	16. Chapter 16

**Vision**

* * *

This is the last of the thieves chapter, thankfully. Draggy fillers just suck. And I watch too much anime.

Camelot owns Golden Sun.

* * *

"Man, this is so boring," Jenna grumbled to herself as she wandered around Vault, glancing at everyone who happened to be nearby. "I'm supposed to be looking for suspicious looking people or something? I already tried asking around too. Where are those stupid thieves anyway?"

So far, she hadn't seen anyone acting strangely and all she had done was wander around and find out that other people had had things stolen, but they never seemed to notice anyone in the process. Whoever those thieves were, they sure were awfully skilled. Jenna momentarily glanced at two men who were whispering to each other, then turned away, not noticing the suspicious glances they shot at her.

Eventually, one of the men walked away as the other one approached her. "Hey, missy, I can't help but notice you look kind of lost. Are you looking for anything by any chance?" His eyes narrowed as he watched her suspiciously.

"Uh, well, I suppose I am," Jenna said guardedly, taking a step back. What was up with this man, just approaching her like that anyway? "Have you heard of thieves around here lately? My friends and I are trying to find information on them. It's not that easy though."

"I see," the man said thoughtfully, reaching up to scratch his thick beard. He let out a soft chuckle and turned away, fixing his gleaming eyes on one of the buildings. "Well, I think I seen a suspicious person just now, he looked very dishonest. He might be one of those thieves."

"Really?" Jenna's eyes widened. Of course, someone in Vault would have a better time spotting suspicious people, they lived there. Still, she couldn't help feeling slightly put out that this man seemed to have seen someone so easily, when she was having trouble herself.

"Yes. I think he went that way. I'll show you," the man said, beckoning. Jenna followed behind, frowning in suspicion. Something was strange about this, she knew it, but she wasn't afraid to find out. Even if she got attacked, a quick blast of Fire Psynergy could see someone off.

The man led her behind a building, where nobody else was around, save for a lanky man holding a knife and looking at her with baleful eyes. Jenna came to a stop, gasping as the man who had approached her seized her by the arm and slammed her against the wall.

"We'll teach you not to mess with thieves, girl!" the man yelled, raising a fist and preparing to slam into her face. Jenna quickly moved aside, wincing as the fist drove into the wall and the man howled in pain as agony jolted down his arm.

"Let me at her!" the lanky man demanded, as Jenna quickly ducked underneath the bearded man's arm and ran forward, out of the way of his attacks. Jenna turned to glare at the lanky man, pulling the Battle Rapier from its sheath. The lanky man ran at her with the dagger. Jenna quickly parried the blow, knocking it away.

"Come on! Can't you deal with a girl?" the bearded man cried out, approaching from behind. Jenna quickly whirled around, slashing away with the Battle Rapier, causing him to jump back in alarm. "Well! Don't you know swords are dangerous?"

"Not for me," Jenna hissed, preparing to attack again. However, she heard the footsteps of the other man approaching again, and tensed, trying to figure out what to do with two foes in front and back. Obviously, the one with the dagger was more dangerous. Reluctantly, she turned her back on the bearded man and raised her sword, defending herself against the vicious dagger. Suddenly, the lanky man leaned forward in a swift motion, slamming a fist into her stomach while keeping the dagger held against her sword. Jenna gasped as the wind was partially knocked out of her.

"I knew people liked you for your lightning quick movements!" the bearded man said, chuckling in approval. He suddenly lunged forward, looping his arm around her neck and pulled her back. Jenna gasped, clutching at his arm with one hand. The other hand was seized and held away, restricting the use of her sword. She gritted her teeth, struggling to pull the arm away or free her hand as the man tightened his hold. "Now hurry up and stab her! Give her a warning she won't forget!"

The lanky man came forward, raising the dagger. Jenna quickly put out the hand she had been using to try and pry away the grip, aiming it at her attacker and casting Fume. A small plume of fire that only she could see appeared, striking down the lanky man. He screamed in pain as the fire washed over his body and collapsed, gasping and twitching.

"Hey, what's wrong with you?" the bearded man demanded, looking in shock at his collapsed companion. "She didn't even do anything, did she? Hey, girl, what did you do to him?" he demanded, using his arm to squeeze even tighter. "Tell me what you did!"

"Let go..." Jenna gasped out, trying to pull away his arm again. It was hard to breathe in this suffocating grip. Suddenly, she heard the sound of impact. The man moaned, his eyes rolling to the top of his head, then he released his grip and fell to the ground unconscious.

"I'm getting pretty good with this!" Garet declared, holding up his mace proudly, a grin on his face. "I managed to knock that guy unconscious!"

"Yeah, I saw that," Jenna said dryly, stepping over the bearded man and walking over to him. "It seems that these guys are thieves, and they don't seem very strong either. Just a little of my Psynergy was enough to take that guy there down."

"So you figured out they were thieves when you saw them and decided to take them both on yourself?" Garet looked at her in shock. "Wow, you are either very brave or very reckless. Which one is it?"

"That's not how it happened!" Jenna exclaimed indignantly. "One of them came up to me saying he'd seen a thief, I didn't know he was supposed to be a thief, then he made me come over here and both of them attacked me at once."

"Wait, so the thief just came up to you?" Garet asked. "Did you tell him you were actually looking for thieves?"

"Yes, but something was strange about this," Jenna said, frowning. "The other guy seemed to be waiting for him to bring me here, like it was a trap. Does that mean they knew we were looking for them already?"

"I guess, when you put it that way, it does sound strange," Garet said, biting his lower lip thoughtfully. "Yeah, I guess a thief must have overheard us or something. Well, if they are looking for us, it makes things easier!"

"I suppose you're right," Jenna replied, glancing at the unconscious thieves. "It's more dangerous, but it seems to be working. We shouldn't have split up after all."

"Yeah, well, we'll just stay together from now on, alright?" Garet smiled. "Is that okay?"

"Yeah, that's fine. Let's stick together," Jenna agreed. "Now let's go find some more thieves to beat up!"

* * *

Isaac was not having much luck at the moment, as he walked along a path and looked around tiredly. He couldn't see anybody who looked particularly suspicious, so this search wasn't amounting to much, and no-one he had asked seemed to be able to tell him anything. Did nobody have a clue about these thieves running around their own town and stealing things from them?

The blond came to a stop, listening to two people in conversation nearby. They were talking about some things that had been stolen from them, but of course they didn't seem to know who had taken their stuff in the first place. Just like everyone else in this town then. Isaac sighed and kept walking, unaware of a thief sneaking up behind him.

The only inkling he had that something was wrong was when he stopped to lean against a building, watching a man walking past. The man was throwing odd glances over his shoulder, as if looking for something, or someone. His eyes fell upon Isaac, then he quickly turned and hurried away. That was a strange way to behave.

"Hey, you!" Isaac called out, preparing to give chase, until he felt cold steel touch his throat. The Venus Adept gasped, freezing to the spot as he realised someone was behind him. So, he had let his guard down, while watching that suspicious man. Great, now he would have to be really careful not to get his throat cut.

"You think you're clever, don't you?" the man behind Isaac growled. "You're a bunch of damn kids, going off and hunting down thieves. What, you think this is some kind of a game? Well, we're going to teach you kids not to play around anymore."

"So, you're one of the thieves, huh?" Isaac asked nervously, swallowing heavily. He was really starting to get tired of this dagger to the throat routine. Why did it always have to be him?

"That's right. We know all about your little game. One of our men overheard you brats talking and he came running to our boss," the man explained. "Well, now we have the upper hand here."

"Right, so you're just going to cut my throat open in broad daylight, with people watching?" Isaac looked through the corner of his eye at a shocked person watching on. "That doesn't sound like a good idea. If they catch you people, you'll go down for more than just petty theft."

"Eh, you think I'm stupid?" The man let out a nasty chuckle, his mouth spreading into a twisted grin. "Like I'd hang around after killing someone. Our boss is going to get us out of here with that shiny loot soon enough, but first... we have a score to settle with you young upstarts."

"So, your boss, huh?" Isaac struggled to keep calm, as he continued talking. If he kept the thief talking as well, maybe the thief would let his guard down and Isaac could quickly move without getting his throat cut in the process. "He's the one running your little scheme, huh? Robbing Vault and such?"

"Ah, yes, Clyde is one of the finest thieves around. He has no equal," the thief said reverently, his eyes lighting up. "I bet you couldn't find a thief more cunning and skilled than our Clyde. He's been able to pull off great heists without so much as a snag, but he leaves the small things to us men. Like robbing Vault, for example. It's such a small town after all that- hey!"

Isaac had grown tired of listening him talk and had sharply brought up an arm, knocking away his hand, then ducked and moved away as quickly as he could. The thief glared in annoyance as he watched Isaac back away.

"You sneaky little rat, distracting me by making me talk. I should have seen your plan sooner!" The thief spat. "Well, I'll just have to kill you the hard way then!" He started running, raising his dagger and grinning evilly.

"Gaia," Isaac said in a flat tone, watching him calmly as he held out a hand. The thief stopped in his tracks, giving Isaac a confused look. What was he talking about? Suddenly, the ground erupted beneath him and he screamed as he was engulfed by a strange power, something he didn't understand. What was this power ravaging his body? The thief fell down, scarred by the powerful attack, unable to do anything more than twitch and moan.

"Isaac!" Mia exclaimed, running up to him with a concerned expression on her face. She glanced over at the felled thief. "Oh, is that one of the thieves? So, you managed to find one. Good job, Isaac."

"Well, to be honest, it was more like he found me," Isaac said, looking worried. "It sounded like he knew we were looking for him and his friends. I guess the thieves must have caught wind of our pursuit after all."

"So, they are retaliating before we can find them?" Mia let out a small sigh, shaking her head. "I suppose it wasn't such a good idea to separate then, if they are coming after us. Do you think they overheard us talking?"

"Yeah, that must be it. We weren't really careful enough, Garet especially," Isaac said, sounding slightly rueful. "Lately, it seems like we're really careless. You get kidnapped, thieves are chasing us instead of the other way round..."

"Oh, the kidnapping thing was my fault," Mia said quickly. "You weren't the careless ones. I was being careless, going off by myself like that. No wonder Alex was able to drag me away, hanging out in the open like that."

"I'm going to look after you now," Isaac insisted, looking at her. "With the thieves coming for us, it's too dangerous otherwise. You stay by my side, Mia."

"Of course," Mia replied, nodding and smiling. She held up her Frost Wand, looking determined. "The thieves have no idea what they are letting themselves in for."

* * *

Felix was quite unaware of the problems his companions were having and finding his task more productive, simply because he was not directly looking for thieves or suspicious people at any rate but where they were located. He guessed that they would have a roomful of treasure and was trying to find it. It was quite fortunate that Vault was a small village so there weren't very many places to look.

Felix crouched against a wall as he watched somebody coming out of a building. The man looked neat and orderly enough even with a tear in his tunic. However, the glinting dagger in his belt hinted that this man might not even be a resident of Vault. Why would he be carrying it around if he lived here? He was most likely a traveller, or even one of the thieves, Felix glanced up at the building the traveller had come out of and he noted that it seemed quite shabby in appearance, a rundown building that had apparently been neglected for some time.

Deciding it seemed like the perfect hiding place for thieves, Felix inched closer to the building while looking in another direction, taking care to look casual as he did so in case thieves were watching. He did not think they would be happy about someone entering their hideout.

Once he was close enough to the building, Felix looked around to make sure that nobody was watching and then he darted to the door, wrenching it open and stepping inside, quietly closing it behind him. He was relieved to only hear a soft click as it closed and concentrated on looking at his surroundings.

It was dark inside the building but a grimy window provided a little sunlight to let him see where he was. He was standing in a hallway and there were three doors on one side. It was clearly a small building, Felix noted, as he crept towards the doors with some trepidation. One door was torn off one hinge and left hanging, he looked through this one first and grimaced for the room beyond it had a rank smell and there seemed to be food stains on the floor.

As Felix moved towards the next door, he froze and listened intently as he heard quiet, whispered voices. He sidled along the wall and leaned closely. After a few minutes had passed, the Venus Adept decided the voices were coming from the last door and he cautiously opened the middle door to see what was beyond it. Opening it revealed a worn staircase. The bannisters had been torn off and smashed, lying on the ground, and there were some holes in many of the steps. It was clearly a health hazard and Felix found himself wondering how Vault could allow such a filthy, uncared for house to exist in their village.

Now there was only one door left. Felix was feeling confident enough to take on a bunch of thieves. Drawing a deep breath, he hurriedly sidestepped to the last door and gripped the doorknob tightly, pausing to listen through the door. Whoever was in there was still talking, but Felix could hardly make out what they were saying.

'Oh, well, here goes nothing,' Felix thought as he twisted the doorknob and pushed open the door, stumbling right into the room. The sight that lay before him was not exactly what he had been expecting. He had been hoping to find some treasure, but not what seemed like countless piles of it. The thieves must have been very busy. Speaking of thieves, two bandits were already walking towards him, their weapons drawn and their dark eyes glittering menacingly.

"Looks like I've finally found your hideout," Felix spoke, pulling out his Claymore and defiantly facing them. "Excuse me for coming without an invite, but I just can't stand criminals." He immediately leaped forwards, his sword swinging through the air as he slashed wildly at them.

* * *

By now, Isaac and Mia had managed to regroup with Garet and Jenna, without any further incident involving thieves. The four of them stood together in the middle of the town, discussing what they should do next.

"It sounded like the thieves have a leader," Isaac said. "I think that guy called him Clyde, something like that. If we find this leader, we can bring them down and find out where the loot is."

"Good idea," Garet enthused. "I bet this Clyde guy ain't so tough either. Let's hurry and find him then."

"Oh, but Felix isn't here," Mia said suddenly, looking around in the hope of catching sight of him. "That's strange, we haven't seen him in a while. I wonder where he could have got to."

"Well, if he's not outside, then he's probably inside somewhere," Jenna guessed. "Maybe he went to look for the hideout rather than the thieves. I hope he hasn't found himself in a situation he can't handle."

"Felix will be fine," Isaac assured. "But we should at least find him. We can take those thieves down more easily as a group. I wonder where the thieves could be hiding. Obviously, they would be somewhere people wouldn't be looking."

"Maybe there's a building somewhere where people aren't living?" Mia suggested. "That sounds like an ideal place to hide, but I wonder if there's really such a place like that in a small town?"

"Well, let's try looking at the buildings we go past as we walk," Jenna said. "A place where people aren't living can't be in terribly good shape, right?"

"It might be more useful than asking people," Isaac muttered. "Nobody here seems to know anything about the thieves. They sure are good at their profession, aren't they?"

"Let's just start walking," Garet said impatiently. "I'm itching to beat up some more thieves already."

As they started walking, they carefully looked around at all the buildings. The houses were mostly in great condition with well-thatched roofs and bright paint on the walls that made them look good as new.

"Huh," Mia said, suddenly stopping and staring. "See that small house back there? It's almost hidden by those two houses in front, so it's hard to notice." She moved forward for a closer look.

"Do you think that could be it?" Jenna also stepped forward, noticing that the house didn't seem to be in as good shape as the others. The windows were obviously dirty, the roof appeared to have a couple of holes in it, and a vine was already creeping up one side. "That house isn't as nice looking as the others."

"That could be the hide-out!" Garet exclaimed, resisting the urge to run right in there. He knew that would be somewhat risky. "So, what do we do now? Should we bust in there and hope the thieves are waiting for us to beat them up?"

"Let's at least take a look," Isaac said. "The stolen stuff should at least be in there as well."

The group of Adepts immediately started off towards the house, unaware of another group tailing them from a distance. Isaac reached the door first, hesitating as he prepared to open it. What could be on the other side? He was just about to wrench it open when a voice from behind suddenly spoke.

"Well, well, well." The Adepts sharply turned around to see a tall, long-haired man with dark eyes watching them with a nasty smile. "What do we have here? The same pesky little brats who who were talking about busting us out right in the open? That was very stupid of you."

"Yeah, well, we weren't scared of you guys!" Garet exclaimed. "We knew you would all come looking for us, then we would kick your butts and get back the stuff you dirty thieves stole!"

"Did we really expect them to come looking?" Mia whispered to Isaac, a confused expression on her face.

"Garet's just trying to sound like he knew what he was doing," Isaac whispered back. "It's kind of his fault anyway for talking so loud back then."

"So you're the leader of the thieves, huh?" Jenna asked, glaring at the long-haired man. "You people are evil, sneaking around and stealing people's precious things! We're not going to let you get away with it."

The long-haired man threw back his head and let out a deep laugh, his chest shaking. He then placed his hands on his hips and smirked. "You know who I am? I am Clyde, the best thief ever, and I have no equal. These are my fine men and we don't appreciate a bunch of children trying to interfere in our schemes."

"This is your hide-out, right?" Isaac glanced over his shoulder at the rundown looking house. "It sure isn't a very nice looking place, is it? The perfect hideout for a bunch of rotten thieves."

"Yeah, yeah, we struck gold with that fine place. Those stupid villagers should take better care of their houses," a man with a gap in his tooth spoke up, chuckling derisively. "We got this fine empty house all for ourselves, yeah."

"Be quiet!" Clyde snapped, shooting a stern look at the thief who had spoken. "I'm going to do the talking here." He turned his cool gaze back to the Adepts. "I'm afraid that playtime is over for you whelps."

"Playing? Who's playing?" Garet asked indignantly, his hand straying to where his mace was sheathed. "We're being serious here!"

"This guy sure is annoying," Jenna muttered, holding up her Battle Rapier. "I get it. You want to fight us, huh? Well, we're going to take you down easily!"

Clyde began laughing again, heavily amused by their brave words. He then shook his head and let out a hearty sigh. "Children these days grow up so fast, don't they? Do you honestly think a small bunch of ragamuffins like you can take me down along with my fine thieves? Huh?"

"Of course we do," Isaac said boldly, his eyes narrowing in determination. "In fact, you might be the one underestimating us."

"Hey, Clyde," the thief who had watched the Adepts before spoke up urgently, an anxious expression on his face. "There are only four of them there. I definitely remember there being five before. The one with long brown hair... he ain't there."

"Felix might already be in there," Mia whispered, glancing back at the hideout. "But how long has he been in there now?"

"Oh, really?" Clyde frowned, looking at the Adepts intently then at the house behind them. "What if we missed him and he's already inside, with our loot? That will not do! I left just two men in there. Hey, some of you, get in there and provide backup!" he exclaimed, glancing at his men.

"This isn't good!" Garet exclaimed, as some of the thieves ran past them and burst into the hideout. "Even if he's in there, he can't take on all those guys at once easily. But we have to fight Clyde and his men here!"

"I'll fight Clyde as well," Isaac said, looking defiantly at the leader of the thieves. "It shouldn't take too long to take him down. We've got something he hasn't, so we'll be fine. Just give it all you've got."

"I'm going to go in there," Jenna said anxiously, turning to look at the house with a worried expression. "I'm going to help Felix." Before anyone could speak, she had run inside.

"Isaac, I'll stay with you," Mia said, readying her Frost Wand. "Let's all take him down together."

"Prepare yourself!" Garet shouted at Clyde, holding up his mace. "You're going to find out how strong we really are!"

"Heh. You certainly talk big," Clyde scoffed. He glanced at his band of thieves. "Let's get them!" The group of men rushed at the three Adepts, who quickly raised their weapons or began casting Psynergy at their attackers.

Inside, Felix had managed to dispose of the two thieves in the room with the loot. They now lay unconscious on the floor. He was about to resheath his sword and hurry back out to tell everyone that he had found the hideout along with the loot, little knowing they were all engaged in a brawl right outside, when the door opened behind him. Felix turned and stepped back in surprise as five more thieves poured into the room, already brandishing their weapons and advancing on him.

"Oh, great..." Felix muttered. Well, five of them weren't going to be too much trouble for him. He just hoped there weren't more coming in the process, otherwise things could start to get dangerous. He quickly cast Spire, knocking a couple of them down. The other three turned to look at their friends in surprise, not having seen the Psynergy that was cast. The two quickly scrambled back to their feet, looking equally surprised but not too badly hurt.

Suddenly, a wave of fire washed over one of the thieves, causing him to howl in pain. Jenna stood in the doorway, grinning and raising her battle rapier. "Okay, which of you guys want to try taking me on?"

Soon enough, all the the thieves in the room had gone down. The combined might of the two Adepts had been too much for them, and the ones currently unconscious had remained in that state for the duration of the battle.

"Well, that wasn't so bad," Jenna muttered, resheathing her rapier and smiling triumphantly. "Compared to us Adepts, they are just inferior. I wonder if Isaac and the others are finished by now."

"Have they found the other thieves?" Felix asked, stepping over one of the unconscious thieves. "It surprised me a bit when these guys suddenly just came in. I suppose I should have been a bit more careful, but this place did look suspicious."

"Yeah, they are outside this house right now and last I saw, they were about to begin fighting the thieves' leader and some of his men," Jenna replied. "The thieves knew we were looking for them. Garet's fault, I guess, since he was talking so loudly like that before."

"Well, let's go and see how they are doing then," Felix said. The two quickly hurried out of the house to find Isaac, Garet and Mia standing over the fallen, writhing bodies of defeated thieves. None of them looked the worse for wear, so evidently they hadn't had much trouble in taking down the thieves.

"I won't forget this," Clyde hissed, weakly raising a fist and shaking it in anger. "Even if they lock me away, I'll escape and come after you kids for my revenge! Mark my words."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Garet replied, slamming a foot down on his head and pressing it into the ground. "We just kicked your butts, you know."

"Oh, so you were in there, Felix." Isaac smiled as he noticed Felix had come out of the house. He glanced at Jenna, standing behind him. "So, you managed to take down all the thieves inside the house then?"

"That's right. We didn't have much trouble at all." Jenna smiled triumphantly, folding her arms and looking smug. "The thieves are all talk. They are pretty weak, but we did have the advantage over them though."

"What about their loot? Were they keeping it in there?" Mia asked anxiously. She hoped she would be able to find her necklace soon enough. How could they have taken something so precious from her? "It's all there, I hope."

"There's a lot of treasure in there, so whatever was stolen from us should be there as well. But first we should get the thieves locked away," Felix responded.

"We can get some people to tie them up," an onlooker standing among the crowds called out. His companions nodded in agreement. "Please watch those thieves while we find some rope and such."

"I'll go and notify the mayor as well," said another person who was watching. "He will be very happy to know the thieves have been defeated and the treasure found. We are all very pleased indeed."

"It looks like the thieves' reign of terror on this town has come to an end," Isaac said, sounding satisfied. "It wasn't such a bad idea to stay the night here. We ended up helping them out."

Soon enough, some men returned with bundles of rope on their arms. The Adepts quietly stood back as the thieves were tied up, many of them loudly complaining and swearing as they were dragged away toward the jail. Clyde watched the Adepts the whole time over his shoulder as he was led away, glaring menacingly. Eventually, all the thieves had been taken away and were securely locked in Vault's jail.

"Well, all the thieves have gone and everyone's going into the house to get their stuff back. Isaac, let's go see if our things are there," Mia suggested, as they watched people go into the house and then come back out, smiling as they clutched their recovered things.

"Right. What did you have stolen again, Mia?" Isaac asked as the two quickly entered the house. "The thieves took away the only weapon I've got. I hope they didn't do anything with my axe."

"My precious necklace was taken," Mia replied, walking into the room where the piles of loot were rapidly shrinking. "It might be hard to find... oh, wait, there's a chest of jewellery here. Maybe it's in there."

"Hmm... I wonder where... ah, there it is!" Isaac hurried to the corner of the room where the axe was sitting. He sighed in relief as he picked it up and placed it within its scabbard. "It feels good to have a weapon again." The blond walked over to the chest where Mia was anxiously looking through the pieces of jewellery.

"Oh, thank goodness," Mia whispered, finding her necklace safely within the chest. She tightly clutched onto it and stood, a radiant smile on her face. "I'm so glad I was able to find it. I don't know what I would do if I lost this."

Isaac found himself staring at her smiling face, thinking about how beautiful her smile was when she was really happy. It wasn't very often that she looked so happy, with the burdens and tragedy in her recent past after all.

"Well, let's go," Mia said, not noticing Isaac staring at her as she carefully tucked the necklace away into one of her pockets. "We've got everything, right?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Okay." Isaac smiled sheepishly. The two walked out of the house to find an elderly man speaking to Felix, Garet and Jenna.

"Are these more of your friends?" the elderly man asked, looking up as Isaac and Mia walked over to the group. "Well, as the Mayor of Vault, I wish to give you my personal thanks for ridding the town of such filth. I was very happy to get my stolen treasure back. Please come to my house and accept my reward."

"Wait, we don't need a reward, really," Felix protested. "We just did it because we wanted to help out."

"I insist," the mayor said gently, turning away. "Please. I would like to reward you all for helping us. Come to my house."

"I guess it would be rude to refuse the offer, right?" Garet didn't seem to be so hesitant about accepting a reward. In fact, he thought they deserved it after all the trouble they had gone to. "Let's go and accept it."

"I wonder what the reward is?" Jenna whispered to her companions as the group began tailing the mayor to his house. "Maybe he's going to give us gold or something really useful. Maybe we'll get something each?"

"I don't know about each," Mia said, looking slightly surprised. "You know it's not good to be greedy, don't you?"

"Hey, I was stuck in Prox for years." Jenna pouted, sounding defensive. "They are greedy people themselves. Maybe it rubbed off on me a bit."

The mayor stopped in front of a house and pulled open the door, beckoning for the Adepts to enter. They walked in and stood in the center of the room, watching as he also walked in and shut the door behind him.

"Oh, are these the people who defeated the thieves?" A woman, likely the wife of the mayor, came out of a room and looked at the Adepts. "Well, you all look younger than I would have thought. Imagine you people taking down all those thieves! But we are very thankful to you all."

"I am sure I have something suitable to give you as a reward," the mayor said, pausing as he thought of something he could reward the Adepts with. His eyes lit up and he quickly walked into another room. Soon, he emerged with a small bottle in his hands. The bottle contained a golden liquid that sparkled as it splashed around inside the clear crystal container.

"Hm? What is this?" Isaac asked, as the mayor held it out. He took hold of the bottle and gazed at it. "It seems special somehow."

"Apparently, it can revitalise someone, restoring their vitality no matter how worn or hurt they are. At least that's what I heard from the person who gave it to me long ago," responded the mayor. "He called it a Water of Life. It certainly does sound strange, doesn't it?"

"Sounds kind of like my Psynergy," Mia said quietly, so that the mayor and his wife would not hear. They would not understand the meaning of her words, but she thought it best to be quiet about their own abilities.

"Thank you very much," Isaac said, carefully pocketing the Water of Life.

"No, thank you." The mayor bowed his head, smiling. "You have all done so much for us without even being asked. You are truly great people, and I wish there were more of you in this world."

"He sure talks a lot," Jenna muttered under her breath to Garet, a bored expression on her face.

"I suppose this is what happens when we help a bunch of people without even being asked," Garet murmured back. "Still, at least we did a good thing."

"Anyway, we're going to be leaving now," Felix said finally. "Hopefully there won't be any more trouble in Vault. Those thieves will definitely be kept secure, right? There isn't any risk of them escaping?"

"Oh, don't worry about it. We have faith in our jails. They are very secure. Why?" the mayor asked, looking slightly surprised at the question.

"I think it's just because they looked pretty vengeful, so they might be dangerous if they get out and they will come after us, and we really don't need that because we're busy," Jenna suggested, though she was smiling. "But if you say your jails are very secure, then that's fine."

"That Clyde guy did seem a bit scary," Isaac agreed. "But it doesn't seem like we have much to worry about. Let's go then, we've got things to do."

"Farewell." The mayor waved as the Adepts walked out of the house. The group walked back to the inn, feeling just a little tired after their hard work fighting thieves that very morning.

"So, what are we going to do next?" Garet yawned. "Are we ever going to get a rest? It's one thing after another. For all we know, those thieves will be breaking out right now and we'll have to fight them all over again."

"Don't be silly," Mia replied. "There's no way that would happen. A lot has been happening all at once, that's true, and we don't quite know what we're supposed to do next. Any ideas?"

"Let's think about it while we're resting," Isaac suggested. "It's almost lunchtime now, isn't it? All that fighting has made me hungry." Everyone else felt the same, as they hurried to the inn, anticipating a meal after their hard work.


	17. Chapter 17

**Vision**

* * *

The filler is over now. Hooray. We're getting back to the main plot now! 

Camelot owns Golden Sun.

* * *

The search would be beginning today. The Adepts had spent another night in Vault, and no further incidents had happened during their stay. The thieves were securely locked away and no more enemies had appeared, which was quite a relief. Early in the morning, they were already eating a hearty breakfast as they thought of the day ahead of them. 

"So, we're going to start looking for information then? I wonder where we should start," Garet mumbled through a mouthful of bread, before quickly swallowing. "Maybe we should try that city we went to before."

"Hmm, they did have scholars there, I remember." Isaac nodded, leaning his chin on one hand. He pushed away his empty plate with the other hand. "I wonder if we shouldn't just drop into Vale first though. We've been here two days and we haven't even bothered checking up on everyone back home."

"I still don't think some of us are ready to face disappointment," Felix sighed, sitting back in his chair. "Garet, do you feel like going back yet?"

"Eh, I'm not sure if I'm ready," Garet said pensively, staring at his last piece of bread with a serious expression. "I don't know what I'm going to say to my parents. After all that training and convincing everyone we would rescue the hostages, we end up not even entering the city."

"The whole village has pinned their hopes on us, don't they? I miss my parents, but we've got to at least try again," Isaac said resignedly. "You're right. Let's at least let them wait a bit longer. I'm sure everyone is okay."

"You've just got to be patient and take your time getting stronger. Did you really expect to just be walking in there and out with rescued hostages?" Jenna sat back, her arms folded. "I'm sure Vale can wait a bit longer. You've seen their strength now, so you know it's not that easy."

"Let's just concentrate on the task at hand right now," Felix suggested, while finishing the last of his breakfast. "We've got to look for the Teardrops of Luna, but first we need to find a lead. Let's leave as quickly as we can so that we can start searching, alright?"

Once everyone was done with eating their breakfast, they quickly gathered their stuff together and set off, leaving Vault behind. It was still so early that the sun had barely risen and birds had just started to sing. As they walked toward the ship, Isaac couldn't help throwing a longing glance in the direction of Vale. He just wanted to see his parents and his home one more time, but he also knew how hard it was for Garet and Felix to go back and risk facing disappointment from their parents.

Jenna noticed that Isaac was gazing into the distance and realised that he must be looking in the direction of Vale. She wished she could see it as well and her parents too, but without her memories, she couldn't see the point. It was the same reason why she hadn't gone and revealed her true identity to anyone except Mia. If she didn't have her memories intact, was she really the same person? The reunion wouldn't even feel the same as it should have, not if she didn't remember anything. She let out a small sigh and shook her head. Maybe soon they would return to her and then she could start telling the truth.

"Isaac, are you okay?" Mia asked, sounding concerned. "Oh, is that the direction Vale is in?"

"Yeah. I'm just thinking of home, but I'm sure it won't be long before we'll really be able to go back to Vale," Isaac said quickly, smiling. "I'm fine, really. It's just that we're so close, but we can't go back just yet. We're going to find those Teardrops after all."

"Yes, of course. I can't allow Prox to try and get their filthy hands on the treasured secret of Imil," Mia said, nodding her head fiercely. "I'll find the treasures and protect them. I just can't believe that Alex would betray his city like that. He's gone so low, it's hard to believe." She lowered her head, biting down on her lower lip.

"Hey, Mia. Don't think about that lowlife," Isaac said quickly, placing a hand on her shoulder. "He's not worth dwelling on, and he's an insult to your people. If anything, Imil's lucky to be rid of scum like him."

"It's just hard to think about how quickly he changed," Mia said softly, gazing at the ground with a sad expression. "He didn't always use to be that kind of person, I know it. I even used to have feelings for him, but those are gone now. I just can't understand how he could change so much."

"I know you might not want to hear this, but Alex could secretly have always been that kind of person, somewhere deep down," Isaac said cautiously. "I think when the circumstances changed, he ended up showing his true colours. But I don't know what he was like before, so I could be wrong."

"I don't know what to think about him anymore." Mia exhaled and shook her head. "It's not really worth thinking so much about anyway. I have more important things to think about right now."

As the group continued walking, the ship appeared in the distance, in exactly the same spot as they had left it. They were eager to set off before anyone else from Prox could come or any complications arose, so they quickly hurried toward the ship.

"Okay, so once we get on the ship, we'd better decide where to go first," Felix mused. "We've spent long enough dilly-dallying. I do have an idea or two, but we should at least discuss them first."

"Well, it would be better than sailing around like headless chickens," Isaac quipped.

"Chickens don't sail," Garet muttered, raising an eyebrow. Isaac just pulled a face at him.

"I've beheaded chickens. Plucked them too and stuff too," Jenna spoke up. Everyone threw her an odd look at her statement. "Hey, life as a slave in Prox isn't glamorous, you know. The Proxians like to make their slaves do messy things."

"Uh, that's very interesting," Mia said awkwardly, trying not to think of what it would be like preparing a live chicken. "So, I guess you aren't the squeamish type, then?"

"Proxians won't let their slaves be squeamish," Jenna replied flatly. "It doesn't matter if you're scared of blood, they will make you slaughter whatever they feel like eating."

"I think I'm going to see my breakfast again if we keep talking about this," Garet moaned, rubbing his stomach. This topic was making him feel rather uneasy and, not for the first time, he felt so glad he had been hiding inside that tunnel with Isaac and Felix all those years ago.

"Well, look on the bright side. You're helping to fill the stomachs of hungry people," Isaac protested, a bemused smile on his face. How had the conversation managed to get so morbid? "I hope you didn't have to do much worse than that though, Mask."

"Well, depends on your definition of worse, but it was definitely the ickiest thing I ever had to do," Jenna replied. "Other than that, it was mostly helping with building, cleaning floors, that kind of thing. We'd be up at the crack of dawn and made to work hard on our chores for the day."

The group had reached the ship by now. Felix was first up the rope ladder, everyone else quickly clambering up. Once everyone was on the deck, the ladder was pulled up and they gathered around the tiller, ready to discuss what they would be doing next. Felix took hold of the tiller and started turning around the ship, careful to avoid some rocks lining the bank, and started moving the ship along the river back toward the edge of the continent and the ocean.

"Okay, first of all I think that we should try Tolbi," Felix suggested. "They have a lot of scholars there, so somebody's bound to know something about this mystery."

"Tolbi... oh yeah, it's that huge city we've been to before," Garet recalled, his eyes lighting up. "I liked the place, it was fun and they had good food. Hey, you remember, don't you, Isaac?"

"Of course I do. It wasn't that long ago," Isaac responded. "It's one of the biggest cities in the whole of Weyard. Bigger than even Prox was, but I don't think Tolbi was ever built by slaves and run by angry people with pointy ears." He glanced at Jenna. "No offence meant."

"That's okay. Anyway, Tolbi sounds pretty interesting." Jenna smiled. "I'm looking forward to seeing it already. I'm sure it's much nicer than Prox."

"Tolbi was fun, sure, but we can't afford to waste time playing around there," Felix reminded everyone. "Prox is kind of pursuing us this time. We're just going there to see if we can get the information that we need. That fountain was cool though," he mumbled under his breath. But they didn't have any of those rare and expensive Lucky Medals, so there would be no point in spending time on it.

"I've heard of Tolbi as well," Mia spoke, her voice sounding quieter than usual. "I never went there though, but my father would often go there on business. He often brought back gifts and sweets for me. Tolbi makes wonderful sweets."

"Yeah, they really do." Garet smiled at the memory. "Hey, we have got to buy some while we're there. We'll even get plenty for you if you like, Mia."

"Really?" Mia smiled. "Yeah, I'd like that."

"I'll buy some for you. It will be my treat." Isaac put an arm around her. Mia looked up and nodded, looking considerably happier.

"I can't wait already," Jenna moaned, as she ascended the ladder toward the crow's nest. "It all sounds so exciting." She leaned over the side, impatiently waiting as she gazed out at the ocean.

* * *

Alex wearily walked through the snow, sighing in mild relief as he felt the satisfying crunch of soft, white snow beneath his feet. He was already tired of being cooped up on a boat. The most exciting battle had been against a flock of angry seagulls and he was already aching to have a real battle. Having only two lowly soldiers for company just made it worse. If he tried fighting them, they would crumple like leaves underneath someone's booth, and that would be no fun. Speaking of the soldiers, they were also quite happy to be returning to Prox and weren't quiet about it at all. The two were already hurrying toward the city, leaving Alex far behind. 

"Thank goodness they are finally out of my sight," Alex grumbled, walking slowly through the snow. He didn't like the two much at all and had already forgotten their names. He sighed wearily, continuing to walk slow as he approached the city. Alex was reluctant about having to face backlash for his failure in capturing Mia.

Eventually, he stepped into the city and was surprised when two knights appeared before him. Judging by the look of their armour, they had apparently come from the palace. Both knights were large and muscled, hoisting spears at their waists.

"What is it?" Alex asked abruptly. So they were already aware of his return, he supposed, surprised at how fast the news had travelled. It was probably because of those incompetent soldiers loudly announcing their return.

"Alex, we have been ordered to immediately escort you to Saturos upon your return to the city," a knight spoke gruffly, his eyes narrowing as he stared down at Alex. He did not approve of the tone of Alex's voice, considering it a disrespectful way to speak to the knights of the palace themselves. "So will you come with us, please? You do not have a choice. He wants to see you right now."

"It may come as no surprise that our leader is growing more impatient by the minute," said the other knight. "He is very eager to hear news of your mission." He paused, his mouth twitching into a faint smile. "I was under the impression it was to retrieve a person. I wasn't aware that invisible people existed in this world." He had noticed that Alex was entirely alone and couldn't resist a jibe.

Alex gritted his teeth, biting back a sharp retort. He did not appreciate the knight's sarcasm one bit. "Very well, I will go to the palace at once since you so nicely asked," he spat, walking past them. The two knights followed behind him and they walked toward the palace. Alex tried to ignore the nervous feeling rising in his chest. He had failed a mission and come right back. Saturos surely would not be so impressed. If it hadn't been for those irritating new friends of Mia's, he could have taken her easily.

Again he walked through the now familiar palace hallways and came to a stop in front of the doors to where Saturos was waiting. One of the knights stepped forward and pushed open a door, stepping into the room.

"Alex has arrived," announced the knight. "He's brought an invisible friend with him, it seems." He stepped back, sneering at Alex. Alex wanted to slam a fist right into the knight's face, but he knew it would be foolish to pick a fight with an elite member of the Proxian army. One day, Alex swore, he would be more powerful than any of them and then nobody could order him around or make fun of him, because he would punish them for it.

The other knight sharply pushed Alex into the room. Alex stumbled forward, gritting his teeth against the rising anger inside and forced it down, assuming a neutral expression as he walked toward Saturos, who was standing in the center of the room and gazing at him, arms folded across his chest.

"So, here you are, Alex. Back within the walls of our lovely city, I see," Saturos remarked, turning and starting to pace along the length of the room. "I sent you on a mission with a couple of our soldiers, didn't I, Alex?"

"Yes, you did," Alex replied, swallowing heavily. He would now have to shamefully admit that he had failed. How could he have failed? If only he had been just a bit more powerful, then he might actually have won.

"Now, would you mind reminding me what the mission was?" Saturos asked in a very calm voice, turning and walking the other way. "Not that I have forgotten, but I just want to be sure you remember."

"Of course I remember," Alex shot back, feeling slightly insulted. Was Saturos implying that he wasn't so intelligent? He quietly fantasised about being so much stronger and making Saturos kneel before him, begging for forgiveness. Like it would happen anytime soon, he thought regretfully. "I was to go and get the Princess, Mia, then bring her back to Prox so that we can use her to find the Teardrops of Luna."

"Yes, that's exactly it," Saturos said brightly, stopping in his tracks and snapping his fingers. "So you do remember it then, Alex." He turned and gazed at Alex. "So, where is the Princess then? Have you deliberately disobeyed my orders by coming back here without her? Answer me at once."

"I was unable to accomplish the task," Alex admitted, hanging his head. It was too much to look into Saturos's eyes and admit his failure. "First, a monster attacked the ship while I was away and those pathetic excuses for soldiers you sent with me were unable to stop it from rendering the ship temporarily unable to sail. The Princess also had friends, who came to her aid. Those soldiers were miserable failures and couldn't even stop them. I battled them and lost."

"It is you who is the miserable failure, Alex," Saturos said angrily, marching toward him and stopping a couple of feet away. His hot red eyes bore into the top of Alex's head. "You have a lot of nerve to be insulting Prox's fine soldiers when you couldn't even win a battle against a bunch of kids. There is no excuse for you losing."

"I am going to get better, I swear to this," Alex said in a determined tone, clenching his fists and raising his head. He was going to get much more powerful and show everyone what he was capable of. His thirst for power was strong, he craved more, and he planned to stop at nothing to get it. "Forgive me for my errors. It was five of them including her, all Adepts, against just me so I had difficulty fighting them. It will not happen again."

"Are they aware of the plan now?" Saturos asked. "Do they know why we are trying to recapture the Princess?"

"I did speak of it to the Princess herself in great detail," Alex replied. "That was before her friends turned up to rescue her though. No doubt she may have told them about it as well."

"Really... I see," Saturos murmured, stepping back with a thoughtful expression on his face. "Well, I no longer wish to see your disgusting face, so please leave the room now." He turned away, not noticing Alex sneer at his back.

Alex let out a quiet sigh of irritation and marched toward the still open door, clenching his fists again in his fury. He hated how everyone talked down to him as if he was nothing more than an irritating bug they would like to sqush.

Saturos was now thinking deeply about the latest development. So, if those Adepts knew of their plan to seize the Teardrops of Luna, what might they do? Perhaps that Princess would attempt to get the Teardrops herself in the hope of protecting them from Prox, not wanting them to get their hands on Imil's sacred treasure. They could do the hard work for him. A slow smile spread across Saturos's face. Now he had some ideas that didn't involve that pathetic failure of a Mercury Adept.

Alex had barely stepped out of the throne room when a female's voice brought him to a sudden halt. "Well, aren't you such a bad boy?" the voice taunted him. He turned, eyes narrowing as he looked upon a tall, blond woman leaning against the wall. She had evidently been listening in on the conversation. "You made Saturos raise his voice. It's really not very often he does that, despite what some people may think."

"And just who are you?" Alex asked rudely. He didn't know who this woman was. Not even the sharp, gleaming scythe at her side could intimidate him. He was getting fed up with all the remarks and insults people were throwing at him lately. "I don't have time to be talking to bimbos," he added.

"Watch what you say to me!" the woman snapped in an acidic voice, her slender, pink fingers curling instinctively around the hilt of her scythe. Her smirk disappeared, replaced with an angry frown. "You really are an obnoxious kid after all. You really don't know who I am, do you?" She stood straighter. "I am Menardi, one of the strongest warriors of the Fire Clan, and Saturos's equal, so you do not want me as your enemy, Alex."

"Very well then, we should just keep out of each other's way," Alex replied dismissively, sharply turning away and striding down the hallway. He wished to return back to his lodgings and was growing increasingly tired of people getting in the way. Menardi watched his retreating back, then let out a scornful laugh and walked the room, approaching Saturos with a mildly amused smile.

"You were right, Saturos," Menardi commented, placing her hands on her hips and jerking her head back slightly. "That Alex really is an annoying jerk. He just spoke down to me, but it seems he had no idea who I was. Still, it wasn't very nice of him to treat me like that, was it?"

"He simply does not know his own place," Saturos sighed, shaking his head in despair. "Alex is just so useless, sometimes I wonder why I bothered taking him to Prox as well. It might have been better to just kill him back in Imil, but at the time, he seemed like he might have potential. Anyway, I think our luck is about to change."

"Oh?" Menardi tilted her head. "Our luck with what?"

"The Teardrops of Luna. Alex failed to get the Princess back here, but now she knows about them and our quest, and will surely be trying to get them along with her friends in the hope of protecting them from us," Saturos replied. "I already have an idea in mind, but it might be better to talk to Agatio first. Perhaps he can make something for us, since he is good with devices."

"I see. Sounds like one of your usual sneaky plans to me," Menardi commented. "But it's not going to involve another one of those raids, is it?" She looked slightly worried for a second.

"I don't know yet," Saturos replied. "Let's just see where this plan goes first."

* * *

"Hey." Garet had just ascended the ladder to the crow's nest and was now making himself comfortable next to Jenna. "Thought you might be getting a bit lonely all the way up here. Good view?" He peered out, though he didn't lean out as far as Jenna tended to do. It was too high up to do something so dangerous. 

"The sea is nice and calm. It's really beautiful on a sunny day," Jenna replied, squinting her eyes as she saw what appeared to be a dolphin leaping playfully from the waves. "You don't come up here very much, Garet."

"Yeah, I'm just not too fond of heights so I don't like coming up here that much," Garet replied sheepishly. "Anyway, I can be a bit clumsy sometimes so being up high might actually be dangerous for me." He let out a small laugh.

"I don't think you'll fall out or anything." Jenna smiled slightly. "The sea's really calm right now."

"I guess..." Garet trailed off, looking as if he was trying to think of something to say. "Why don't you talk about Prox some more? I guess I'd like to hear about it, but if you don't want to... it's okay. Just leave out anything gory, please."

"Is killing random monsters that attack us honestly less gory than killing chickens?" Jenna asked teasingly.

"Well, there's never any blood for some strange reason, so it's different, isn't it?" Garet quickly protested. "I mean, I like chicken, but I'd rather not see it until it's on a plate in front of me."

Jenna giggled slightly, amused by his apparent squeamishness. Garet didn't seem like the type of person who would be easily squicked out to her. "Okay, I'll talk about Prox. I don't remember what it was like during my first years there, but apparently it used to be a poor and destitute town."

"Wow," Garet said quietly, his eyes widening. "When we saw it, it was a big and impressive looking city so it's kind of hard to imagine it being poor and destitute. I guess kidnapping a bunch of slaves for themselves helped."

"That's probably why. They made sure to grab young, fit children who were all Adepts, and made them work very hard on building a city for the Proxians," Jenna said quietly, her eyes narrowing. She resented the Proxians for ruining their childhoods by taking them all away from their homes and families, putting them through so much hard work. "Eight years later, it's a thriving empire. You would never guess what it used to be like."

"They must have been pretty desperate to go to such drastic measures just to make their city look nice," Garet said sourly.

"I don't think that was the only reason," Jenna murmured. "Not that I agree with what they did. Because the food was scarce and everyone was poor, people were suffering and children were starving to death. It was also so bitterly cold, they might have all froze to death because their clothes were so cheap and poor. I think Prox also did it to save themselves. It seems to have worked."

"Wasn't there another way they could have saved themselves?" Garet crossed his arms and hunched over, a sad expression on his face. "Why did they have to go messing with other people's lives? It's awful."

"Kidnapping children wasn't the only thing they would do," Jenna said, exhaling heavily. "They often liked to go out on raids and steal treasures and such, then they would sell it for money and become richer. The Proxians were no better than bandits and kidnappers, trying to save their people. So, to save themselves, they hurt others."

"What was it like?" Garet asked tentatively. "Being a slave in Prox... the slaves weren't treated too cruelly, were they?" He dreaded hearing the answer, not wanting to think that the people taken from Vale had been suffering all these years.

"We always had to get up early and go to sleep late, because we spent all day working," Jenna replied, gazing seriously at him. "I think everyone did their best to work hard because the Proxians scared them. I know I did. If anyone slacked off, they would get whipped. In the worst cases, they would be beaten. Nobody was ever killed. They needed their slaves alive, even if everyone treated us as inferior."

"Well, that's good to know." Garet sat back, smiling slightly. "Then everyone is alive and we can bring them all back home. Nobody back in Vale knew what would be happening to everyone. We were all so worried."

"I suppose you would be." Jenna bit down on her lower lip, looking slightly agonised and feeling a familiar pang of guilt. "I don't really remember much of my early years in Prox. I'm not sure exactly how long I was there either. When I was fourteen, I fell off a roof and almost died as a result, but they saved me from death. When I woke up, I didn't remember a thing before the accident."

"So you don't even remember anything about your past?" Garet looked sympathetic. "Your home, or family, or anything like that?"

"No, it's all just a complete blank," Jenna replied awkwardly. "But I'm hoping to get my memories back someday. I'm sure they will return eventually. They have to."

"I'm sure they will," Garet said encouragingly. "And then you can return home to your family and friends. I'm sure they will be really happy to see you again."

"...Yeah..." Jenna turned away, feeling a sudden rush of tears. She didn't want Garet to see her like this. More than anything, she wanted to remember everyone and then she could tell them who she really was.

"Mask? Are you alright?" Garet asked concernedly. Jenna just nodded, unable to form a response.

"Hey, we're approaching the coast near Tolbi now," Felix called out, startling everyone. "Get ready to disembark, everyone."

"Oh, really? We're near Tolbi now?" Mia rushed to the helm of the ship and peered at the appearing coastline. She scanned the horizon. "I can't see it."

"It's too far to see from the coast," Isaac told her, walking up to the side of the ship. "But it won't take long to walk there."

"Huh? Hey, I can see it from here," Garet said, leaning over the side and spotting the faint outline of a city on the horizon. "Cool. It looks so big even all the way over here."

Jenna leaned over as well, gazing at the distant city as she tried to recover from her near emotional outburst. "I can certainly see why it's considered the biggest city in Weyard."

The ship sailed up to a dock built onto the coast. Isaac walked over to the side and picked up a length of rope, throwing it over. He got to work on tying the ship securely, while Garet and Jenna climbed down from the crow's nest. The Adepts then got off the ship and started walking in the direction of Tolbi. It certainly didn't take so long to walk there.

Jenna and Mia looked around in amazement as they walked through the city streets, awed by the number of shops and vendors stacked along the street. The delicious smell of warm food wafted on the air. Stone statues stood in various places throughout the city, depicting the people who had been leaders of Tolbi, past and present. A large spring stood in the center of the city, people excitedly clustering around it as they threw in their coins.

"Wow, this is amazing!" Jenna exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I sure wouldn't mind living in a place like this. I would have fun and eat delicious food every day of my life."

"I know what you mean. Father told me stories of this place, but I didn't think it would be like this," Mia said, looking rapturous. "Now I wish I had come along on some of his trips. It would have been worth it."

"I'm getting hungry already," Garet whimpered, rubbing his stomach and looking hungrily at a stall where someone was selling fresh, warm cakes. "Maybe this wouldn't be a good place for me to live."

"No kidding. You would get so fat, we wouldn't recognise you," Isaac teased, poking his stomach. Garet glared at him in response.

"Let's not dawdle, okay?" Felix gently reminded everyone. "We have business to do. Maybe we can do something fun later, but not now."

"Yeah, you're right," Isaac replied, though he sounded slightly disappointed. Coming to this city again had reminded him how exciting it really was. "We're going to see Lord Babi, aren't we? Hopefully he doesn't give us a boring old scholar who rambles on about nonsense. Old men can be annoying like that."

The group wasted no further time looking around and hurried through the busy streets, heading toward the palace, the largest building in the entire city, and also where they expected to find Lord Babi of Tolbi.


	18. Chapter 18

**Vision**

* * *

Kraden himself makes an appearance in this chapter. Isn't that great? 

Camelot owns Golden Sun.

* * *

As the Adepts walked up the steps toward the palace, they noticed two soldiers stationed in front of the palace door. The soldiers noticed them as well and immediately straightened, hoisting up the spears at their sides. It was meant to be a warning, not a threat. They meant business and would deal with anyone trying to cause trouble. 

"Stop there," one of the soldiers said sharply, once the group of Adepts were just a few feet away from the door. He calmly looked at each person in turn, judging them by appearance. They looked fairly young to be travelling warriors, he thought, but they also seemed like honest people. "Please state your business here."

"We have come here in the hopes of having a meeting with Lord Babi," Felix spoke up. "Currently, we have an urgent mission and we're hoping that he can help us. In fact, it was Lord Babi himself who met us before and even gave us his ship a month ago."

"Yeah, he rewarded us because we helped him out," Garet said. "I think he should still remember us. So can we go in and see him?"

The soldiers glanced at each other, holding each other's gazes for a few seconds. Finally, one of the soldiers turned back and shook his head. "Well, that's interesting. Why don't you tell me your names and then I can go in and check. Security is tight at the moment, so I hope you'll understand if we ask you to wait a few minutes."

"I am Felix," Felix said, turning and looking at Isaac and Garet. "And, he's Isaac, and he's Garet." He turned back to look at the soldiers. "The girls weren't with us last time we were here, so you don't need their names."

"Very well, we'll report you to the current Lord," said the other soldier, lowering his head. "That is, he should know who you are since I am sure he must have met you if you did see Babi before."

"Huh? The Lord of Tolbi isn't Babi anymore?" Garet looked confused as he tried to understand the soldier's words. "Did he step down? We didn't hear anything about another Lord."

"Lord Babi died peacefully in his bed," said one of the soldiers, his tone soft as he spoke. "His time had simply come. He was a very elderly man, as you should know, and eventually age caught up with him. Now, his place has been taken by Iodem. You met him, did you not?"

"I remember that name," Isaac answered. Garet and Felix nodded in unison. They also remembered. "Then will you notify him that we're here? It's not Babi we specifically needed the information from, you see."

"Of course. Please hold on while I go to talk to him," a soldier requested, turning and opening the door behind him. He stepped inside, the door shutting behind him. The other soldier stood still, patiently waiting and continuing to guard the door while his companion was inside.

"How did you come to know the Lord of Tolbi?" Mia asked, looking interested. "He even gave you a ship as a reward?"

"A reward for what?" Jenna asked, also looking fairly curious. "What did you do?"

"Well, we rescued him," Isaac replied. "It was while we were exploring, searching for information on the Proxians, and we were approaching Tolbi. At the time, we didn't even have a ship so the only thing we could do was walk around searching for places. Then we got to Tolbi, and the entire city was in an uproar when we came here."

"Everyone was panicking because their Lord had disappeared," Garet added. "There were soldiers running around everywhere and asking questions. They seemed pretty worried. But there wasn't anything we could do for them so we just went to an inn to rest for the night. The next day, we were trying to get information, but nobody felt like helping us out when they had more important things to do like finding Babi."

"So we decided to go exploring for a bit and we found this interesting looking cave," Isaac continued speaking. "Funny thing is, it seems that Babi was fond of exploring despite his old age and tended to go off by himself without so much as a word. Except he usually came back. This time, he didn't, so everyone was naturally quite concerned about what might have happened to him."

"And why didn't he come back this time?" Mia asked. "Did he have a nasty fall? Something like that?"

"Not really. He was inside that cave, and it seems things had changed since he was last there," Felix replied. "There were huge monsters in there. I don't know why they were suddenly in that cave, but he wasn't expecting it and they had attacked him. We managed to defeat them though and saved him. Everyone in Tolbi were quite happy to see him back."

"Cool." Jenna smiled. "So he rewarded you with the ship and then you could sail. That was quite a stroke of luck. So were those monsters really tough?"

"Not particularly, just your average monster." Isaac shrugged. "But since Babi wasn't an Adept or anything, he couldn't really fight them off and they overpowered him easily. He was really thankful to us. It's too bad that his old age had to catch up with him so soon though."

The soldier who had gone inside soon returned, opening the door and gesturing to the Adepts. "I have spoken to Lord Iodem and he does remember who you are. He is keen on having an audience with you, so please come into the palace now." He stepped aside, allowing them to step through the door.

"Wow," Jenna whispered, looking around in surprise. "This palace looks so much grander than the one in Prox. It's so beautiful too." She twirled around, amazed by the size of the place and the decorum.

Mia briefly glanced around, taking in the sight of the palace. It reminded her a little of the palace back in Imil, before half of it had been destroyed. She quietly sighed and looked down at the floor, trying not to think of home.

The walls were made of frosted grey marble. Portraits and tapestries adorned the walls. The tapestries were made of fine silk in many hues. Gargoyles and numerous assorted statues were put up as decorations as well. The floor was furnished in royal red carpet all over and torches on the walls cast a soft light everywhere. They traipsed through many large corridors and even up a couple of large staircases. The palace was large in its own right and somewhat easy to get lost in as well.

After what seemed like an age of constant walking, the soldier stopped outside a door and he reached out to push it open. It swung back, revealing a new room with no other apparent exits. It was quite simple looking compared to the rest of the palace with plain walls and a few small portraits hanging up. One of them showed the late Lord Babi, albeit in his slightly younger days.

"Here is the waiting room," the soldier told them, sounding somewhat apologetic. "This is just the way we work at the moment. Lord Iodem is a busy man since he only just became the leader of Tolbi so he may not appreciate me bringing people tramping into his throne room. Please wait here and I will go and notify him, then he can see you when he is ready."

"Well, at least we can sit down now," Garet muttered, looking longingly at the chairs sitting around the room. He was feeling tired from walking through the palace. Somehow, it seemed more exhaustive than walking around outside.

The soldier pretended he hadn't heard Garet speak, as he hurriedly ushered the Adepts into the room. He then left them alone, the door swinging shut behind him with a loud thud. A high window with a glass pane fixed into the stone structure provided light which streamed into the room, a white rectangle displayed on the marble floor where the sunlight glanced off it. The chairs were arranged around the rectangle of sunlight. The Adepts sank down into them, relieved to finally rest after all the walking.

"I sure hope this isn't going to take too long," Jenna muttered. "Why do we have to sit in here anyway? We could be out there having fun and shopping."

"I'm sure it won't take too long," Isaac said hopefully, sitting back in the chair and letting himself relax with a soft sigh. "I guess Iodem would be busy. He's just become the leader of a city. There must be lots of paperwork to do and everything. Running a city seems like a busy job to me."

"I don't think I would want to run a city," Garet admitted. "It sounds like way too much work, and living in such a huge building like this? I think I would get tired from walking everywhere. That would be a real pain. Seriously, this place is so huge."

"It really is." Jenna nodded in agreement. "That palace in Prox is actually pretty tiny compared to this place. This palace is really amazing, don't you think?"

"Sure is impressive," Felix commented. "But I think it's a bit over the top. What's with all the decorations everywhere? I mean, gargoyles? Isn't that just a bit weird? There are so many statues too. I thought there were plenty outside already."

"Maybe someone just had too much money to spend." Isaac smiled wryly. "I don't really see why someone would need a building this big for a palace. I've never seen any other palaces before though. Mia, you lived in the palace in Imil. What was it like?"

"Oh, uh..." Mia faltered. She had been lost in her thoughts of home and the past, and had barely been keeping up with the conversation. "It was very nice, but a bit smaller than this palace. It wasn't so heavily decorated either. I really do think whoever is furnishing this palace is being a bit extreme."

"Man, being stuck in here really does suck," Jenna complained. "Why can't we at least look around a little?"

"Probably so that the soldiers don't have to go looking for us when they want to take us to Iodem," Isaac replied mildly. "Anyway, we could get lost wandering around a place like this. It might even take a week for us to find the way out of this building."

"Yikes. I guess we really should wait here then," Garet said, his eyes widening. "I don't want to get lost in a place like this. Still, what kind of way is this to treat us, shoving us into a room and telling us to wait? We saved Lord Babi's life!"

"Considering that he's dead now, I don't think that really matters," Felix replied. "But it seems Iodem does want to see us, so that's good. With any luck, we'll be talking to one of those scholars soon enough and we can get the information we need."

"I really hope at least one of them knows something," Isaac murmured, looking slightly worried. "Imil may have kept their secret so well, nobody knows anything. Mia, you had honestly never heard of them before, right?"

"All I knew of was the song and the scripture," Mia answered, biting her lower lip. Had she never heard anything more than that before? No, she was sure that she hadn't. Nobody had ever spoken of the Teardrops themselves. "I never knew anything else. I never thought they were tied to some legend either. Just that they were supposed to be a carefully guarded secret. If I had known Alex would betray us all, I would never even have shown him the scroll so long ago." She sighed. "Not that it makes much difference now, I guess. He might have figured it out eventually."

Eventually, the door swung open. Everyone looked up to see a man enter, flanked by two soldiers. He had long dark hair with a matching beard and wore red and gold garments, with a long yellow cape that reached the floor. His light blue eyes flickered with recognition as he looked at Isaac, Garet and Felix. He smiled and walked toward them, the soldiers following behind him.

"So this guy is Iodem?" Jenna whispered to Garet, who nodded in response.

"Felix, Isaac and Garet..." Iodem nodded his head, smiling. "It is nice to see the three of you have returned. Of course I have not forgotten you and what you did for Lord Babi. It is a tragedy indeed that he passed away such a short time ago."

"We have only just heard about it ourselves," Isaac said quietly. "We weren't aware of it before we came here, so it came as quite a surprise."

"I am thankful at any rate that Babi was able to pass away peacefully in his bed and not out in the cold surrounded by awful monsters," Iodem said, sounding slightly rueful." He did so love to explore. Anyway, I see that you have some pretty girls with you this time."

Mia ducked her head, blushing slightly at the sudden compliment. Jenna didn't act so bashful, rather just smiling faintly and keeping her steady gaze on him. How could he really tell she was pretty if she was wearing a mask, she wondered as an afterthought.

"I am Princess Mia from the city of Imil," Mia spoke, looking back up at him. "However, my city was attacked and I was taken away, but Isaac and his companions freed me from captivity and I am travelling with them."

"Oh, Imil... I have heard of it. The King used to come here sometimes, your father, right?" Iodem asked. Mia nodded in response. "Is he in good health?"

"Actually, no," Mia answered, her eyelashes lowering in her sadness. "He was killed in the attack on Imil. The palace was even partially destroyed. I don't know how many people survived the attack, but my father certainly didn't."

"I am sorry to hear that," Iodem said gently. "Who are these barbarians that would attack such a prestigious city as yours? It would be good to know in case they decide to target Tolbi, something I hope does not come to pass."

"People from the northern city known as Prox," Mia replied, sounding bitter. "It does not seem to be a well known place though. I had certainly never heard of it before. They are very far away, even from Imil, so you may not have to worry."

"Well, that is a relief, but we will of course be on our guard," Iodem said. He then glanced over at Jenna. "Would the young, masked girl like to introduce herself to me?"

Jenna shifted uncomfortably in the seat, immediately feeling awkward at the question. She couldn't introduce herself so freely when she was trying to keep her identity hidden for the moment. "Please, just call me Mask."

Iodem stared at her for a few seconds, surprised. That was clearly not her name, but he was hardly going to pester her for it. "Well then, Miss... Mask. It is a pleasure to meet you two girls. I hope you like the palace. It's very grand, isn't it?"

Jenna and Mia nodded in unison. They decided not to tell him that they both thought it somewhat overdone, as that would surely cause him some insult.

"It is a lovely place," Mia said. "It's a lot bigger than the palace in Imil was."

"Anyway, we shouldn't stand around talking all day. I have things to do and I am sure you do too," Iodem said, rubbing his hands together expectantly. "So, what has brought the five of you here? I assume this is no mere visit."

"We are currently on an important quest," Felix answered. "But we are having problems figuring out where we should be going, so we're trying to get some answers first. The scholars of Tolbi, they know many things about this world, correct?"

"Yes. They all study hard, and their knowledge of history and the secrets this world has to offer are indeed vast. Our scholars' intelligence and knowledge is matched by nobody else," Iodem said proudly. "Babi was always proud of his talented scholars. I am sure that most of them could tell you what you need to know."

"Then we would like to see one of the scholars," Isaac requested. "It is very important that we try to get the information that we need. It's fairly urgent too, because there may be people after us and we have to stay ahead of them."

"I understand." Iodem nodded slowly. "It is no trouble at all, I can take you to see one right now. When they aren't studying, scholars are fond of telling people what they know, so I'm sure someone will be happy to talk to you. Some of you may be glad to know the library where the scholars work is not too far from here." He smiled wider as if he had just told a joke.

"Uh, yeah, that's a good thing," Garet muttered. "This palace is a bit too big for me."

"Indeed, it can be daunting to some, and this is only your second time here after all." Iodem turned toward the door and beckoned to the Adepts. "Come with me then, I will take you to the library and you can talk to one of our talented scholars."

The group left the room, proceeding through even more of the seemingly endless hallways. Though they were passing through a new area, there wasn't much to see that they hadn't already. While the palace was decorative, the theme tended to remain the same all over, so walking through this area wasn't as interesting as the first time coming into the palace. Everyone stared right ahead at Iodem's back rather than looking around, well aware of the soldiers' loud feet marching behind them.

At last, Iodem reached a pair of large double doors which he stopped in front of. He reached out to push them open with some effort. "Here is the library. I am sure you have never seen a library this big before."

The Adepts stepped into the library, gasping in amazement as they saw the sheer size of it. There were countless bookshelves throughout the room reaching as high as the ceiling, with ladders so that people could reach the higher shelves. People were sitting at desks, either writing laboriously on parchment with ink quills or poring over thick, dusty tomes. A calm silence hung over the entire library.

"Whoah!" Garet exclaimed in shock. "I've never even seen so many books in once place!"

"Hush!" Iodem put a finger to his lips, throwing a reproachful look at Garet. "People are busy working in here and they would appreciate it if you were quiet. The noise will only serve to distract them." He then led the Adepts past several bookshelves, to the back of the library. "I think I have an idea of who you should speak to. He should be around here somewhere... oh, here he is."

The Adepts curiously looked on as Iodem approached a large, round table which several elderly men were sitting around. Some of them were wearing blue caps with red tassels dangling from them and they all seemed to be involved in a heated, yet quiet discussion while looking at papers in front of them. Iodem stopped next to an elderly man wearing a brown cloak and glasses, whispering something into his ear and glancing up at the Adepts. The old man nodded, excused himself to his companions while placing his papers down, and stood, walking with Iodem over to the group.

"This is Kraden," Iodem said, gesturing at the old man. "He is one of the greatest scholars that Tolbi has, and was Babi's personal favourite. Kraden will help you to get the information you are looking for. Kraden, thank you for taking the time to talk to them, but please remember to be discreet. I know how excited you can get at times."

"So, I heard from Iodem you are on an important quest," Kraden said, smiling jovially. "It is rather fascinating to see such young people as you embarking on a quest. I will do the best I can to help you. Let us sit at the table over there."

Kraden, Isaac, Garet, Felix, Jenna and Mia then sat around a nearby table. Iodem quietly excused himself and walked away, leaving them alone. Kraden leaned forward, clearing his throat.

"Before we start, why don't you tell me your names?" Kraden suggested. Jenna inwardly groaned. Being asked for her name twice in a day was just too much for her, especially when she didn't feel like giving it.

"I am Felix," Felix spoke first.

"And I'm Isaac," Isaac added.

"I'm Garet," Garet chimed in. "The three of us are from Vale." Jenna threw him an odd look, which he didn't see. It occurred to her she was feeling left out. Well, it was her own fault for hiding her identity, but why was it beginning to hurt so much? She sighed and shrank down in the chair, looking glumly at the table.

"Vale. I have heard of that place. Apparently it is a special place indeed," Kraden murmured, nodding his head slowly. "Mt. Aleph is said to have secrets that we do not know. It is true that there are people living there who have special powers too, right? I have heard of such tales."

"That's correct," Isaac replied. "Everybody in Vale is an Adept, including us. We usually keep it secret though. That didn't stop Prox from finding out about us and plundering the town though," he added, sounding somewhat sour. "They considered Adept children to be beneficial to their task and kidnapped a great many of them."

"Oh, yes, we heard of that. When an army of strange looking people is rumoured to come out of nowhere and attacks an ordinary looking little village, it does attract attention," Kraden said. "Some of us scholars did suspect it was something to do with the rumours about Vale's people and now it's confirmed then. And, now, the young ladies?"

"I am Mia, the Princess of the Kingdom of Imil," Mia swiftly responded. "Or what's left of it anyway," she added somewhat more quietly. "The people of Prox attacked Imil not long ago. They really are monsters, just attacking as they please."

"That is terrible." Kraden shook his head, looking sympathetic. "I would not like to meet these Proxians you speak of, that is for sure." He glanced at Jenna. "You are...?"

"Mask," Jenna replied flatly, her arms crossed as she stared across the table, barely meeting his eyes. "That is what you can call me."

Mia glanced at her, sensing the awkward tone of her voice, and realised that Jenna seemed a bit down for some reason she couldn't guess. She made a mental note to ask later and looked back at Kraden.

"Well then." Kraden reached up to push his glasses up his nose. "I do wish we could spend more time talking, but I suppose you are all in a hurry. What is this quest that you are on?"

"We are looking for the Teardrops of Luna." Felix wasted no time in getting to the subject, glad that they could finally pursue it. He was beginning to get tired of pointless conversations. He reached into a pouch, pulling out the parchment with Imil's ancient song written down on it as well as the words from the scroll passed down through Imil's royal family. Felix pushed the parchment across the table toward Kraden. "These words appear to tell of a prophecy concerning Luna's tears and Sol's flames. The flames seem to be accounted for, in Prox, so we are looking for the tears."

"It also seems that I am the key to this legend," Mia added. "It has something to do with me being a Water Adept as well as having royal blood in me. So, Kraden, have you heard of the Teardrops of Luna?"

"Hmm. This is very interesting," Kraden murmured, reading the scroll intently. "It tells of powers clashing upon sacred peaks... perhaps Sol's flames and Luna's tears are the key to some great power. It sounds rather dangerous in the hands of the wrong people, so I'd expect something like these to be very carefully hidden. Perhaps if the place was hidden itself..."

"Really?" Isaac's eyes widened in excitement. Perhaps they were starting to get somewhere now. "Do you know of hidden places on Weyard? Do any of them sound particularly special?"

"Isn't the point of hidden places supposed to be that you don't know about them?" Garet argued. "How are we supposed to find them?"

"People are bound to find the places sooner or later," Jenna spoke up. "So I don't think they would stay hidden for long, especially if the people leave and then they talk about where they have been. Word gets around."

"Hmm, as for a hidden place..." Kraden paused and pushed the parchment back toward Felix, who quickly replaced it in the pouch. "There are many mysteries in this world we have yet to uncover, but none are so interesting as the lost city of Lemuria."

"Lemuria?" Mia repeated. Somehow, she remembered having heard of that name before, long ago in the past, but she couldn't remember where she had seen or heard it. "I think I've heard of it before, but I'm not sure how."

"Do you have any idea of where Lemuria might be?" Felix asked.

"If only it were that easy," Kraden sighed. "There have been rumours of people going in and coming out again, but the reports are few and far between. Little has been said of its exact location, but it is for certain Lemuria lies within the Great Eastern Sea. The tales have also said that when you find yourself in an area of dense fog, then you know you are approaching Lemuria."

"A city covered in fog?" Garet blinked.

"The Sea of Time that surrounds it is also said to be dangerous," Kraden said. "The people who have gone in and never come out again, they far outnumber the ones who have. Apparently the currents there change constantly and there are whirlpools all over the place. You have to take the utmost care if you wish to get anywhere near Lemuria. It is also said that the city has a guardian, though I do not know exactly what that means."

"Sounds pretty dangerous, but who didn't see that coming?" Jenna remarked. "I'm sure we can handle it anyway," she added, glancing at her friends.

"Yeah, of course we can," Isaac said determinedly. "We'll take whatever comes at us and deal with it."

"So, we have to head to an area of dense fog somewhere in the Great Eastern Sea," Felix mused. "That part sounds simple enough. Then we'll enter the Sea of Time first and we'll have to be careful there."

"The fog will make it pretty hard to see, won't it?" Garet asked.

"Yes, so we should be careful when moving through it," Felix replied. "Sounds more dangerous inside the Sea of Time itself though."

"We have no choice after all." Mia nodded firmly. "We must get the Teardrops of Luna, no matter what happens."

"Such determination is nice to see." Kraden smiled wistfully. "I wish you the best of luck and hope you'll be able to succeed in your quest. Remember to be careful at all times and expect the unexpected."

"We are pretty much expecting the unexpected by now," Isaac said dryly. "A lot of things have happened."

"Will you be resting in Tolbi for the night?" Kraden asked, getting to his feet. "I would advise it, rest is very important. I don't get much of it because I'm always so busy." He chuckled softly. "Sometimes I even forget to eat."

"Yeah, we should rest here tonight," Felix agreed, glancing at everyone else. "I guess we can spend the rest of the day having fun in the city. Let's go now." The Adepts got up from their chairs and walked towards the exit of the library, saying their goodbyes to Kraden, before leaving and closing the door behind them.

"Uh, which way do we go now?" asked Garet, staring at the corridor which split into two ways at the end, plus there were doors at the side which could lead anywhere. "I think we're lost."

* * *

One single ship set off into the Great Western Sea, departing from Prox. Upon that ship were several of Prox's finest soldiers, ready to attack any town they choosed. However, there was only one town they were out to loot and that was Contigo. They were aiming to get something very special, or to be more specific, a very special person. They needed an Adept, and thanks to Prox's resourcefulness, they knew well where to get Adepts. 

Sure, Prox already had Adepts, but they wanted to get a rare, powerful Adept. They knew of the Jupiter Adepts of Contigo, three of the most powerful Wind Adepts out there, and they desired to seize one. That was what the Proxian soldiers were setting out for, to attack Contigo and kidnap one of the Jupiter Adepts.

* * *

"They are coming." Hama shivered, pulling her cape tighter around her shoulders as she felt a chilly wind blow past her. She bowed her head, staring at the sandy ground. "We will have to start preparing for their arrival with haste." 

"Whose arrival?" Ivan asked concernedly from behind her. "Sister, is there something you are not telling me?" He tilted his head, looking worried. "It is about Sheba, isn't it?"

"It's them," Hama said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "Prox. They want a Jupiter Adept. They will take Sheba, and we cannot stop them from doing it."

"What?" Ivan was stunned. "Why?"

"Ivan, we cannot choose the fate of others." Hama turned to face her younger brother, looking seriously into his eyes. "We must let time take its own course. We can, however, protect the people of Contigo and ourselves from harm. Will you help?"

"I will." Ivan swallowed the lump in his throat. "Will Sheba be okay?"

"She will be fine," Hama assured him. "She's a highly talented Jupiter Adept. I would not let this happen so easily if she was in grave danger, Ivan. Trust me."

Ivan gazed into her eyes and nodded. "I trust you."

* * *

The Adepts sighed in relief as they finally walked out of the palace. A guard had come along and found them wandering lost through the corridors. He had proceeded to show them the way out and now they were back outside in Tolbi. It was already late in the afternoon and they were eager to eat lunch. 

"I'm sure there's a great place to eat somewhere." Isaac rubbed his tummy in anticipation. "Or quite a few. I mean, it's Tolbi. We're spoilt for choice."

"I love being spoilt for choice when it comes to eating." Garet grinned. "Let's start looking."

"I wonder what Lemuria is like," Jenna wondered out loud as they walked along a street. "Is it a city like Tolbi? How big is it?"

"The people living in it might be unfriendly," Mia said, sounding concerned. "If they are hiding from the rest of the world, maybe they don't want to be found."

"Or they just have things to hide," Isaac suggested. "The teardrops could be one of those things and that's what we're going to find out."

"Vale can be a bit cold to outsiders," Felix spoke up. "But only because we have our own secrets to guard too. We don't really want it to be common knowledge that we're Adepts and use Psynergy. So whenever there's visitors, we usually just stay inside and never use Psynergy around them."

"Hey, how about this place?" Garet exclaimed, pointing frantically at one of the buildings. "It says they'll let you have all you can eat for lunch today."

"You're that hungry?" Jenna stared at him in surprise.

"...Maybe?" Garet replied defensively. "What's wrong with being hungry?" He pouted.

"Anything's fine so long as we just pick somewhere already," Felix complained. "I'm hungry too."

"Alright then, let's eat there!" Jenna decided, heading to the place Garet pointed out. "And then we'll have some fun in the city!" she declared excitedly.

"And I'll buy Mia her sweets too," Isaac said, exchanging a glance with Mia. "I haven't forgotten." He smiled at her. Mia just nodded, smiling back. "But first, let's eat some nice food then."


	19. Chapter 19

**Vision**

* * *

Another character appears at the end. Yay! 

Camelot owns Golden Sun.

* * *

"I hope you have a very safe journey," Iodem spoke to the Adepts as they prepared to leave Tolbi the next day, ready to go to their ship and depart to Lemuria. "Remember, you are always welcome back to Tolbi." 

"Thank you." Felix glanced at the crowd of people standing just behind Iodem, staring intently at the small group. It made him feel awkward, but he could hardly say that out loud. "It will be a tough quest, we'll need all the luck we can get, I think."

"Hang on!" Kraden came shuffling up, holding a long staff in his hands. "Thank goodness... I was hoping that you had not all set off yet. I did mean to get up earlier, but I was up quite late last night studying some paperwork and working on a theory. I apologise for my lateness."

"Ah, Kraden." Iodem acknowledged him with a brisk nod. "You were just in time, but do not delay them for too long, they are on a difficult quest after all."

"Oh, I know," Kraden blustered, approaching the group of Adepts hastily. "I have something to give them, which I hope will be of good use to them on the journey. I found this a long time ago, but have had no use for it. Please, take it as a good luck gift." He held it out to Felix who wordlessly took it.

"Is that it?" Iodem asked patiently, glancing over at Kraden. Kraden stepped back and nodded yes. The dark-haired leader of Tolbi looked back at the Adepts with a smile. "Again, good luck to you all and may your quest be successful. Farewell."

"Goodbye!" The Adepts chorused as they turned and walked out of Tolbi. Villagers were shouting their goodbyes after them as well and their voices eventually faded away in the distance as the Adepts got closer to the ship. Felix stared at the staff which he was holding. It was long and made of gold painted wood with a hook on the end. It also seemed to glitter when turned around.

"Who wants this?" Felix asked, holding up the staff. The group came to a stop and they looked at it, curiously turning it over and running their hands on the smooth polished surface. The staff was almost as light as a feather and it glittered brightly, entrancing them.

"It's quite pretty, isn't it?" Jenna commented. "I think it might be a good weapon. But I'm happy with my short sword though."

"It's such a girly weapon," Garet remarked, looking slightly unimpressed. "I'd rather just keep my mace, thanks. What are you supposed to do, bop the monsters to death with that?"

"I'll take it," Mia said. It looked like it would be stronger than her Frost Wand at any rate. She took hold of the staff, clutching it tightly, and swung it through the air. It was light and easy to wield, which was a bonus. She held it up, gazing at the words engraved in the side. "Lachesis... Rule... well, I'm going to wield this with pride. It's such a lovely weapon," she said happily.

"I think it suits you," Isaac said, causing Mia to flush slightly, though she was smiling as she put away her weapon. "I hope we can all find some good weapons on our journey. It will make us stronger after all."

"I wonder if this guardian of Lemuria will be strong," Garet wondered. "If it's guarding a hidden city though, I guess it would be. We'll have to try our best to beat this guardian, no matter how strong it is, right?"

"We'll be fine," Felix assured confidently. "We don't really know what we're up against yet, but I'm sure that we can do this. We need to get into Lemuria after all. If we don't, the Proxians might certainly try. Getting into Lemuria might just be a simple task for those fearsome people, and they could probably take the treasures by force if they wanted."

"So, the Great Eastern Sea, huh? That's going to take a few days of sailing, right?" Jenna asked. "Well, so long as we stay ahead of anyone coming after us, I guess it will be okay."

"Even searching the Great Eastern Sea could take a while. All we know is that when it starts getting really foggy, we're close to Lemuria, so we'll basically have to look for the fog first," Isaac said. "We'll find it though. Eventually."

"This sounds like a real drag," Garet muttered. "We'll be stuck on the ship for days, fighting crazy seagulls. Isn't there a way to make that ship go any faster?"

"Of course not. If there was a way to go faster, don't you think I'd do it?" Felix threw a mildly scornful look at Garet. Garet sighed and hung his head, muttering something unintelligible under his breath.

"I can't wait to test out my new weapon," Mia said excitedly. "Even if it's just going to be against sea monsters for a while."

The group soon reached the ship. As everyone quickly got on, Isaac got to work on untying the rope from the jetty then followed them on deck, picking up the rope and putting it away. Felix returned to his position in front of the tiller, as everyone else gathered around the deck, excited about having a new lead and beginning the search for the hidden city in the fog.

Mia glanced at the coastline one last time, looking in the direction of where Tolbi lay. Of course, she couldn't see it. Being in the city and remembering all the sweets and gifts she'd received from her father's trips to the place made her feel nostalgic as well as somewhat homesick. Mia was missing home and her father, but while she could see Imil sometime again, her father was never coming back. The palace was partially in ruins, a kingdom brought to its knees. Her kingdom. Mia's eyes glittered with sudden tears as she felt a rush of emotion. Dealing with her grief still proved difficult at times.

"I don't feel so well all of a sudden," Mia announced, drawing in a shaky breath and walking toward the cabin. She didn't want to burden everyone with the sadness she was feeling. "I'm going to lie down and rest for a bit."

"Mia?" Isaac was about to start after her, sensing that something was wrong with her, but a hand gently seized his arm and he stopped, turning to look back in surprise at the person who had halted him.

Jenna shook her head at him. "I think Mia wants to be alone right now. Don't worry about her, she'll be okay."

"Do you think we made her sad?" Isaac asked, sounding concerned. "Taking her to Tolbi, and indirectly reminding her of the past? She was happy to get those sweets though, but... maybe she..."

"I think she's happy to be reminded of the past, even if she feels sad afterward. Because, you know, everything's changed. Nothing's going to be the same again for her again," Garet said quietly, sitting on a barrel. "Gosh, the past seems so long ago now."

"Yeah. I remember when we were young," Isaac said, smiling fondly. "Jenna was still around and we used to play together. Remember when we had that secret meeting spot by the cave?"

"I miss Jenna..." Garet gazed at the deck with a pensive expression. "I really want to see her again."

Jenna didn't want to hear any more of the conversation. It made her feel too guilty to hear them reminiscing, especially when they were talking about her and didn't know she was standing right there. She walked over to the front of the ship, out of earshot, and gazed out to sea.

Felix carefully guided the ship along the side of Angara, heading south. Soon, he would reach the mouth of the large river that separated Angara and Gondowan. It would go directly from the Great Western Sea to the Great Eastern Sea on the other side of the two continents. Large bridges were erected over the river, serving as pathways between Gondowan and Angara. People could also use boats to easily cross the river. Reaching the Eastern Sea would not take long. Finding Lemuria was the hardest task at the moment.

"Vale was so different back then," Isaac reminisced. "Everyone was happy. It was so peaceful and just happy. Nobody could ever possibly have thought a bunch of red-eyed warriors would be storming our little village and kidnapping children." He hung his head and sighed. "Everything changed."

Garet looked up, smiling as he recalled his childhood memories. "Do you remember how you used to drag that toy rabbit of yours around all the time? You were kind of a crybaby as well back then."

Jenna had walked back down toward them at this point and caught the last part of Garet's conversation. She stopped and looked surprised. "Really? Isaac was a crybaby when he was young? Doesn't look like it now." Her mouth twisted in a wry grin.

"I was not," Isaac protested, crossing his arms and giving Garet a mock glare. "And I did not drag it around all the time," he added, sounding slightly defensive.

"Drag what around all the time?" Jenna asked.

"You totally did," Garet argued. "I can't remember a moment when you didn't have that thing with you." He looked up at Jenna with a smirk. "Isaac had a toy rabbit when he was young and he was never without it. Seriously."

"Sounds like Isaac was cute as a kid," Jenna quipped, reaching up to ruffle his hair. Isaac flushed in embarassment and directed the mock glare at Jenna. He was quite glad Mia was not around to hear this conversation. Why were the two making fun of him all of a sudden? "Felix, help me out here!" Isaac protested loudly. "Tell Mask that Garet is lying."

"Isaac, you did carry it around all the time," Felix spoke up, as he sailed the ship through the river. "There's no point in denying it. I remember it too."

"Sheesh, you aren't any help at all." Isaac pouted.

"The toy rabbit ended up being a tragic victim of the Proxians' rampage on Vale," Garet spoke up. "I don't really get how that happened. I never liked toys even I was little. I would rather just mess about and stomp through my sister's flowers."

"She used to get pretty upset when you did that, didn't she?" Isaac remarked, shaking his head. "You would just go and do it again. Did you really hate flowers that much?"

"I guess I just liked to annoy her because she would always get so cranky..." Garet murmured quietly. "I feel kind of bad about it now. She got taken away after all, by Prox. My little brother doesn't really remember her at all because he was so little at the time."

"Cranky?" Jenna repeated, under her voice. "Really?" She knew that Garet's older sister was Kay and she was so nice when trying to help Jenna, but Jenna had got so fed up with people trying to help her get back her memories when it wasn't working, she had tuned them out eventually. She just got fed up with it. But being a hostage in Prox could have changed anyone.

"I stopped trampling the flowers anyway after she was taken away. But nobody took care of them anymore, so the flowerbed ended up being overgrown. Now it's nothing more than a messy patch of weeds. Kay would hate to see it now," Garet said ruefully. "I guess Mom didn't feel like touching it. Why did Prox have to go taking everyone away? I hate them so much."

"There aren't any flowers at all in Prox." Jenna smiled faintly. "Just trees, and even more trees. It's always so cold in Prox that the plants can't really grow. It always just snows there, all the time. I'd wonder what home was like after I lost my memory. Was it warm all the time? Did the flowers smell nice there?" She carefully avoided mentioning Vale's name. Of course, she hadn't had the chance to see it again yet

"It must make you pretty sad, not knowing where your home is," Garet said, looking at her sympathetically.

Jenna swallowed heavily, feeling another sting. Why did she have the urge to just tell them? She was from Vale just like they were. With each passing day, hiding her identity just got even more painful. "Yeah..." Jenna choked out. "I want to be able to remember it. Ever since that accident I had, that caused me to lose my memory, I've wanted to see home. All I've ever had are brief flashbacks."

"What are these flashbacks like?" Isaac asked curiously.

"Just being in Prox, or travelling with the Proxians and other children. Nothing really revealing," Jenna replied. She knew who she was, where she was from, but she wanted to at least remember it and it disappointed her when her flashbacks never told her what she really wanted to know.

"I see... so, do you often dream of the past then?" Isaac enquired. "At least, a little?"

"Almost every night, I have these strange, vague dreams, but every time I try to reach out for them, they get out of my reach. I just want my memories back," Jenna said bitterly. "I'm tired of this huge blank in my mind, but no matter how hard anyone tries to help, it doesn't get filled."

Isaac went quiet, repeating her sentence in his mind. So people had tried to help her? She had never said anything about other people before. Maybe her tongue had slipped without thinking. Whatever it was, he was sure she was hiding more than just her face behind that mask of hers.

"Well, I hope you can remember everything soon," Garet said, not having caught Jenna's mention of other people. "It seems like we've all lost something thanks to Prox. Vale lost most of the children, Felix and I lost our sisters, you've lost your memory and Mia lost her father. Prox is to blame for everything bad that's happened."

"Sometimes I want to hate them so much, but when I think of all the starving children and how much the people were suffering, it's hard to," Jenna whispered. "The Proxians were so desperate, they would even kidnap innocent people and loot towns. If it wasn't for their desperation, who knows what state they would be in now? But why did they have to attack Imil? They didn't even need to. They were rich already."

"They are greedy. What else?" Garet crossed his arms, frowning. "They kidnapped people and then became a rich city, so of course they must try and get even richer. What a bunch of monsters. Do they ever plan to let their hostages go either? Or are they planning to keep them forever?"

"Even if they don't want to let them go, you're going to free them," Jenna said confidently, smiling. "I'm sure you will have better luck next time. Mia and I will help, we'll all be stronger and then we can easily go in and out with all the people that Prox kidnapped. But for now, let's focus on the task at hand. We're going to Lemuria."

Isaac walked over to Felix, glancing at him for a moment. "Are we in the Great Eastern Sea yet?"

"Yes, we've been in it for a while now," Felix replied. "But it could take much longer than this just to find Lemuria. It could be anywhere. Maybe we won't even find it until tomorrow or the day after."

"Well, I'm sure we'll find it eventually," Isaac said. "But don't overdo it. We're not really in that much of a hurry, we're just trying to stay ahead of Prox."

"I know," Felix replied. "Don't worry about me. I'm used to sailing all the time anyway. Why am I always behind this thing?" He looked at the tiller.

"Well, because we can't trust Garet with it and I chose to do mast duty. Oh, that reminds me, nobody is up there. Having someone up there would help a lot, wouldn't it?" Isaac asked nervously. Felix responded with a sharp look. "Okay, I'll go up then."

"I'm going inside now," Garet said, getting off the barrel and walking to the cabin. "Time to eat some snacks and have a rest. I'm kinda tired too."

Jenna smiled as she watched him walking into the cabin. Garet always seemed to be hungry for some reason. But she didn't mind that. In fact, she found it kind of adorable, but she wouldn't admit it. Jenna liked that sensitive side underneath the tough exterior. It made him seem sweet. Wait, what was she thinking about? Jenna turned away and shook her head, flushing slightly.

Isaac sat in the crow's nest, leaning over the side and gazing out to sea. Felix was heading south first to see if he could find an area of fog. In the distance, the sky was perfectly clear. Of course, this could take a long while. Isaac sighed quietly and made himself comfortable, keeping his eyes level with the horizon.

* * *

Mia lay on top of her bed, the Lachesis Rule lying next to her. She stared blankly up at the ceiling, turbulent thoughts running through her mind. It was just too much for somebody so young to cope with... her home being destroyed, her father murdered, Alex a traitor and now knowing the world could be depending upon her. Sometimes she felt so alone even with friends besides her, she felt as if she was carrying the burden alone even though they were doing all this for her. 

Her eyelids were growing heavy. Mia blinked several times, as if she was contemplating staying awake and fighting the urge, and then with a soft sigh she gave in to sleep, her head lolling sideways onto the pillow and eyes closing shut. Her breathing slowed a little as she dropped off to sleep, a faint smile on her face.

In Mia's dream, her angel came to her once more. She was standing barefoot in a pool of water, soft pink and white petals floating on the surface. The water felt cool around her bare legs, icy and refreshing. She was only wearing a simple white cotton dress and her hair flowed freely around her shoulders. Mia walked slowly around the pool, the water lapping at her legs, ripples breaking the surface. A sound alerted her and Mia looked up into the bleak grey skies, heavily covered with deep grey clouds. She could not see the face of Sol beyond them.

However, the clouds soon burst apart with a dramatic flash of sunlight. Mia hurriedly brought her arm up to shield her eyes from the glare, a silhouette bearing down towards her on wings which flapped briskly through the air. The clouds dissipated to reveal the cerulean sky and the world around her was lit up once more. The water glistened and warmed in the suns light, flowers came into bloom at the pool's edge, pushing through the soil and unfurling in rapid time. A butterfly came winging its way past, flashing in a myriad of colours, and a bird's call sounded loud and clear, a long warbling trill that seemed to remain long after it faded away.

"Mia." The angel came to land in front of her, making a gentle splashing sound as he hit the water. Mia felt the warm droplets hitting her shins and dripping down towards her feet. She gazed into his eyes, which were like the ocean, deep and blue. "You must remember that I will always be with you, no matter what. You must have faith in me always, and do not forget, I am never far."

"I've missed you." Mia reached out for him and he grasped her slender, pale hand in his gloved one. "I've felt so alone, so desperate. Will I ever be able to feel true happiness again? It's so hard to feel it... sometimes I might feel okay, but then it comes flooding back..."

"I am always with you," the angel reminded her, stepping towards her, making a sloshing sound in the water as he moved. "You need not feel alone and you will be happy again. Time heals all wounds. I will be with you in your most desperate moments, by your side, when you are laughing, crying, feeling angry. I am your guardian angel and it's my duty to look after you, I have looked after you all along."

"You remind me of somebody..." Mia said faintly. Now that she thought about it, she was having trouble remembering, but she knew there was something about this angel. If she was awake, she might have been more aware of it. Despite that, if she was awake, the angel would be gone and the memory of his face with him.

"Maybe I am familiar to you," the angel answered, leaning forwards and kissing her on the lips, drawing her close and pressing her tightly against his body. His warmth spread through her body, making her feel secure when held in his firm grip, against his body that would protect her from harm. "It's up to you if you want to find out if there really is a connection. There are things that you do not yet know, but they will be found out in due time. For now, just remember that I am close by and looking after you. The world needs you, it needs all of you, so do not despair, feel proud that the world's fate depends on you."

"It's so hard... but I will try for you." Mia gazed at his familiar features, the blue eyes, the sunkissed golden hair that she loved so much. She wished she could stay with him in this tranquil place, standing in the petal covered pool for eternity, but she could not. Perhaps in real life they would soon be united, but she would have to wait for that moment she was longing for, wait until the time was right.

* * *

The first day proved fruitless. Felix and Isaac hadn't been able to see a trace of fog. As the sky began to grow dark, they had given up on the search for the night. After eating supper, everyone went to bed, hoping that Lemuria would be found tomorrow. 

Early the next morning, Isaac and Felix were up first, eager to continue the search as possible. Even as Mia and Jenna soon got up and joined them outside, enjoying the crisp morning air, Garet was still slumbering deeply in bed. It would surely be a while before he could become fully conscious.

Time seemed to pass by agonisingly slow as Isaac gazed out at the sea and Felix continued to man the tiller. Jenna and Mia watched the sea as well, looking at the various sea life that would appear from time to time. Occasionally, they would see other ships pass by, but the ships never came too close.

At last, Isaac caught sight of what looked like a fairly dense area of fog. "I can see it!" he called out in excitement. "There's what looks like a lot of fog straight ahead of us! Just keep sailing right ahead, Felix."

Jenna and Mia rushed to the front of the ship, equally as excited to see the approaching fog. Already, wisps of mist were starting to approach the oncoming ship and curl around it. Jenna squinted, trying to see through the thick mass of fog.

"I can hardly see anything at all." Jenna blinked. "The fog is so thick. No wonder nobody can find Lemuria. Who would want to sail right into this awful fog?"

"Well, this is certainly thick," Felix said, looking slightly worried as he sailed on into the thick blanket of smothering white fog. "In fact, it's a lot thicker than I'd thought it would be. Isaac, can you see anything at all?" he called up to the crow's nest. The boat suddenly came to a shuddering halt and he let go of the tiller in surprise. "What was that?"

"I think I can see lots of little rocks everywhere, jutting out of the sea," Isaac answered, squinting as he attempted to see better. "They seem to be arranged in a circle. Just try going round them. There should be an entrance through these rocks somewhere, I think. Keep going round... how big is this circle anyway?" He waited, looking for an opening as Felix steered the ship with trepidation. "Oh, there's a gap right there with some larger rocks on each side. That's it. Just go right through those large rocks."

"Alright!" Mia smiled as the ship seamlessly passed through the rocks. "I think we're in the Sea of Time now. Hopefully the traps aren't too dangerous. I hope it will be okay."

"It will be fine," Jenna said. She glanced over her shoulder. "Felix and Isaac can handle it together." She then looked at the dark sea ahead of them. "There are rocks everywhere and lots of whirlpools. I can't tell which way the current is going either."

"Isaac, you had better do a good job!" Felix exclaimed, looking at him. "I can't see the rocks and whirlpools after all, so make sure you guide me properly. We don't want to go down a whirlpool."

"Don't worry, I'll do my best," Isaac said, tensing himself. Everything hinged on their success. They had to get through the dangerous Sea of Time, and even after that, they had to face Lemuria's guardians.

A few minutes later, Garet finally emerged from the cabin, rubbing his eyes. He had brought his weapon out with him, knowing that if they encountered the guardian sometime today, they had to be prepared. He put his mace aside and walked up to the front of the ship where Jenna and Mia were still.

"Whoah, what is this weird place?" Garet asked, noticing the ship narrowly go past a whirlpool thanks to Isaac's alerting Felix to its presence. "Is this the Sea of Time?"

"That's right," Mia replied, nodding her head. "We've finally found the way to Lemuria. This sea really does look very dangerous, but everything is going fine so far thanks to Isaac and Felix."

"It's good to see you're finally up," Jenna said, looking sharply at Garet. "You weren't planning on sleeping through the whole thing, were you?"

"Of course not," Garet protested. "I got up now, didn't I?"

The ship was suddenly pulled along a current and slipped into an area of the sea free of whirlpools. A trio of small rocks were visible, their tips above the water. Everything suddenly seemed eerily calm. Then the ground began to rumble.

"What's happening?" Felix exclaimed.

"The sea... there's something there!" Isaac cried out. Indeed, between the trio of rocks, a head had begun to emerge from the sea. He realised it had to be the guardian. As he quickly clambered down from the crow's nest, everyone ran to get their weapons and prepare for the battle ahead of them.

Once ready for battle, the Adepts stood in a row on the deck, gazing bravely up at the giant merman who towered above them. Poseidon, the King of the Sea and Guardian of Lemuria, let out a roar and thrashed his large tail, creating waves as he did so. He threateningly raised his giant trident, eager to punish the individuals attempting to enter the hidden city.

"I am Poseidon, Guardian of Lemuria and the King of the Sea," the merman spoke in a deep, booming voice. "I shall not let intruders pass."

The battle was fierce, the Adepts bravely battling on against the destructive sea monster. Poseidon was clearly not going to let them into Lemuria in a hurry, as he indicated by throwing various Mercury Psynergies at the group. Luckily, none of the Adepts were too badly hurt by the water elemental attacks and Garet and Jenna's fire Psynergy proved to be effective against Poseidon. Even as he slugged away at them with Ocean Fists and Typhoon Blows, the healers were on hand to aid their team members, cleansing them of injuries.

Poseidon released a thunderous roar, his body shaking as the sound rippled through him, and he swept his golden trident through the water and up into the air, hoisting it high while an immense wave of water washed over the party. Everybody was almost knocked out by the immense force of the unexpected Watery Grave attack. Poseidon sneered and brought his trident back down, staring at the Adepts.

"Ugh..." Garet coughed up droplets of water, then furiously wiped his mouth. As he shook his head, he scatterered even more water over the already wet deck of the ship. He was completely damp yet the water had done nothing to almost flatten his wildly sticking up hair. "That Poseidon sure is tough. Is everybody alright?"

"I'm not feeling too bad." Mia scrambled back to her feet, having been knocked onto her back by the forceful attack. She dripped with water and wrung it out of her dress, feeling quite glad that it was not a see-through colour. She felt that would be quite embarassing, even though everyone was concentrating on fighting Poseidon, not looking directly at her. "Guess it helps being a Water Adept. Not that it didn't hurt a little, though."

"I'm running out of Psynergy," Felix complained, kneeling low to the ground and panting from exertion, water dripping off his hair and streaming down his face in rivulets. "Isaac, how much more do you think you can manage?"

"A bit more," Isaac answered, taking a break and hanging back from the group. "But I can either concentrate on healing or causing damage... but I'm not sure if I can manage healing everybody and still have leftover Psynergy to beat up Poseidon."

"Don't worry, I'll take care of healing!" Jenna exclaimed. She was suddenly aware of a new power inside her that she hadn't used before. It was time to use this new power. Her Psynergy luckily hadn't depleted enough yet. Jenna spread out her hands and concentrated on casting it. "Healing Aura!" A fiery orange glow surrounded her body and then expanded until it surrounded everyone else. It promptly restored their stamina and cleared away most of their injuries. Jenna felt slightly drained after casting it, but at least she'd helped everyone somewhat. "Heh... haven't had enough yet, Poseidon?" Jenna smirked up at the merman. "We can keep on fighting!"

"Ragnarok!" Felix hollered, leaping back to his feet and holding the blade of his sword flat against his hand, flashing with the colour of his Psynergy, a soft yellow light. A Psynergetic sword plunged down from the sky and buried itself firmly into Poseidon, sending up a scatter of sparks upon impact with the ground, having impaled the fierce guardian, before disappearing from view.

Mia raised the Lachesis Rule and started running towards Poseidon, deftly wielding the staff in her grip. She wanted to finally test its power and whom better to use it on than the Lemurian guardian, Poseidon? The Lachesis Rule howled as Mia came even closer and she leaped into the air, purple circles of light clashing together in a blur around the mysterious staff. "Apocalypse!" Mia exclaimed, as a white haired woman wearing blue and green clothing with pink streamers wrapped around her body appeared just above her, striking Poseidon in an explosion of yellow stars. The woman vanished and Mia jumped back, rejoining the group. Poseidon roared in pain but he was not yet beaten. He reared back and smacked his shining fist fully into Felix, unleashing an Ocean Fist. Fortunately for Felix, he was not yet down, although it had been painful.

"Fireball!" Garet shouted, clenching a fist which gleamed bright red. An explosion of fire surged forth from his hand and scattered into several smaller fireballs that soared into the air in a full circle and formed fully once again, clashing into Poseidon in a burst of orange flames that tore the Guardian of Lemuria apart with its searing heat. Poseidon screeched, a loud cry that reverbated noisily around their surroundings. He froze in position, sitting there in the sea, as if in shock.

"Is he...?" Isaac asked tentatively, watching Poseidon intently, anxiety in his eyes. Whether Poseidon had been defeated or was just resting, he could not be sure. Then he got his answer as with a loud moan, Poseidon sank down into the water, leaving large bubbles upon its dark surface. The rocks that had previously been there sank down into the sea along with Poseidon. "We did it! We beat Poseidon! We can go to Lemuria!"

"It's over," Felix sighed in relief, stumbling over to the tiller and half collapsing on it. "The battle's over, we're getting through to Lemuria, and they have to have the Teardrops of Luna. If they don't, our efforts will only have been in vain. Fingers crossed." He held up his crossed fingers to demonstrate. "And we're off!"

"Thank goodness." Mia smiled, gazing ahead as the ship began to move through the water, across the sea ahead of it. "The hard part is over now. It's time to go to Lemuria and find out if the Teardrops are really here."

"I can't wait to see this hidden city. It sounds very interesting," Jenna said, gripping the side of the ship in excitement. "And, hey, there's no more fog. That's good. I don't think a city that's covered in fog itself would be so impressive."

"Someone ought to ask them why they have a crazy, giant merman guarding the city," Garet said sourly, still shaking water off him. "That really was a tough battle. But at least I got to deal the finishing blow." He looked fairly proud of himself, despite the toll the fight had taken on everyone.

The ship was approaching the Lemurian docks now. Yhere were rows of ships tied to the jetty, all of them very similar to the ship that Felix was sailing. Like their ship, they had identical dragons heads for their masts and appeared to lack sails or oars. There was one place left for a ship to dock and it was here that their ship came to rest.

"So we are here, at the docks of Lemuria itself." Mia leaned over the front of the ship, looking around intently, and gasped in surprise. There was a group of people walking towards the ship, all of them wearing elegant robes that dragged along the ground as they walked. They all sported hair of differing shades of blue and green. At the head of the group was a strong looking, muscly man with purple, blue and green garments as well as a headdress. He also wore a red rag knotted around his wrist. This man had long sea green hair tied back into a ponytail and his eyes were bright golden. The group came to a stop just short of the ship and the man at the front, presumably the leader, held out his hand.

"My greetings to you, Princess Mia of Imil," The apparent young man spoke smoothly and warmly, as he met Mia's gaze. "It is a pleasure to be seeing you here at last. I am the King of Lemuria, Piers, and we have been expecting you for a long time."


	20. Chapter 20

**Vision**

* * *

Plenty of Piers in this chapter. This should be quite a treat for the OBHL (except they hate the name Piers for some reason) Pow Pow Picard! 

Camelot owns Golden Sun.

* * *

"Huh?" Mia tilted her head, her eyes widening in surprise. "You have actually been waiting for me?" How could it be possible that they had known that she would have been coming here? She gazed into Piers's warm, golden eyes, realising she'd never seen someone with such eyes before. They were quite striking to look at. "Does that mean you knew that I was coming?" 

"That is correct. I had been anticipating your arrival, though it all depended on your success in facing the obstacles before Lemuria. It seems you have passed them all though." He was still holding his hand out to her. "Please, allow me to help you off the ship, Princess."

"Oh. Thank you." Mia quickly took hold of his hand and carefully stepped off the ship, neatly landing on the soft grass in front of the dock. She looked up at Piers, who stood at almost a head taller than her. He appeared to be a well-built man with visible muscles beneath his garments, which gave her the impression that he always kept fit. Then Mia remembered her companions and turned back to look at them. They stood at the side of the ship, watching curiously and seeming uncertain, not knowing whether they should disembark as well or remain there.

Piers was aware of them. He glanced at the four Adepts, carefully studying them, then shook his head. "I'm am sorry, but the four of you will be unable to accompany Mia into Lemuria. I must request that you all stay on the ship and do not try to enter the city."

"What?" Garet cried out, sounding disappointed. Jenna seemed fairly disappointed as well, but she chose to remain quiet about it. Felix and Isaac exchanged confused glances. After all the trouble they had gone to to get here, they wouldn't even be allowed into the city? "Why can't we come in?" Garet asked.

"That is a good question." Piers smiled slightly. "I understand you must feel disappointed after you struggled against the trials to get here. Getting through the Sea of Time and then facing Poseidon would have been no easy task. However, there is an unbroken rule that goes back centuries, stating that only Mercury Adepts may enter Lemuria. Yes, people have come here in the past, but we always sent them away from here, though we would give them something for their troubles, such as food or other necessities. But do not worry, I will treat you like visitors while you wait for Mia to return."

He turned to the two men standing behind him. "Agua, Acqua, please be sure to go into the city and see that food is prepared for the people who came with the Princess and brought to them on the ship."

"Yes, your Highness, we will see that it is done," one of the two men answered, as the two curtseyed in unison. They then turned and hurried toward the high cliff wall, where a door was inset. The men disappeared through the door, heading back into the city to do as Piers had asked.

Piers silently watched, waiting until they were gone, then turned back to face the Adepts on the ship. "Food will be brought to you as soon as possible. We will have guards stationed nearby as well. You can alert them if there is anything else that you would like." He didn't mention they would also be there to prevent the Adepts from entering, assuming they would understand that already, but these people didn't seem like they would break the rules. Still, it was best to take precautions. "You are happy with these arrangements? These are the best we could do at such short notice, since we really had no idea of when she would be coming."

"That's fine," Felix assured him. "We understand you have reasons for what you do. We will wait here until Mia comes back to the ship."

"Princess, we shall go into the city now. Do not worry about your friends, they will be safe here," Piers said gently, taking hold of Mia's arm. Mia nodded, and looked back at the others on the ship.

"Bye, everyone," Mia said, smiling somewhat apologetically. "I'm sorry that you can't all join me. I'll see you later."

"Take care, Mia," Isaac called out to her. "Have fun." He sighed wistfully, wishing that he could be by Mia's side in the city, but the rules would obviously never allow that to happen.

Piers and Mia turned and walked away toward the entrance to the city. The crowd of people who had been watching then followed after them, until the dock and area around it were almost deserted. The only people remaining were the guards standing near the entrance itself.

"Geez, this is really disappointing, isn't it?" Jenna complained, walking over to sit on one of the barrels and crossing her arms. "I was hoping to see what this mysterious city shrouded in fog looked like. Well, Mia can just tell us all about it when she comes back. I don't think that's against the rules, is it?"

"What is with that rule anyway?" Garet asked, frowning slightly. "They only like to have Mercury Adepts in there? I don't get it."

"I'm sure they have their reasons for the rule, whatever they are," Isaac suggested, so he seemed equally nonplussed. "Cheer up, everyone. They are going to treat us like guests here even if we're not allowed in. We're getting something to eat, aren't we? It could have been worse."

"Yeah, the Lemurians seem pretty nice after all," Felix commented. "So, they were waiting for Mia to come here then? Maybe that means they really do have the Teardrops of Luna and they have been waiting for her to come to claim them. Unless there's another reason I can't think of."

"Well, that's a good thing then," Isaac said, smiling. "It would have really sucked to go through that sea full of traps and then fight that giant merman for no reason, you know? Luck really is on our side."

"I wonder what kind of food there will be," Garet murmured, sitting down on another barrel and licking his lips in anticipation. "I hope they have some really good food."

"So now you don't care about not getting to see the city?" Jenna asked, raising an eyebrow as she stared at him. "You're happy with just getting food? Typical."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Garet exclaimed. "I'd still like to see what kind of city Lemuria is, but we're never going to see it, are we? I was just wondering what they would bring us. What's wrong with that?"

Jenna just smirked in response. Garet pouted, not appreciating the mild tease.

"I wonder when Mia is going to be coming back," Isaac said, holding onto the side of the ship as he gazed over at the cliff that stood between them and the city. "I hope she isn't gone too long."

* * *

"You will love Lemuria when you see it," Piers assured Mia as they walked through the long tunnel just past the entrance door. On the other side of the tunnel, the city of Lemuria lay just ahead of them. "It is a very beautiful city and I am proud to be in charge of such a fine place." 

"How long have you been ruling over it now?" Mia asked. She supposed that he couldn't have been in charge of it for that long. He hardly seemed much older than she was. She gazed ahead, watching as the opening at the end of the tunnel grew larger. In the distance, she could see what appeared to be buildings.

"I think I have been ruling for almost sixty years now," Piers answered. "It gets a bit hard to remember after so much time as passed and you start to lose track of the years." Mia stared up at him in amazement. "Yes, I may appear to be around your age, but I am much older than that in reality. Time in Lemuria passes much slower than in the outside world so we do not age as quickly." Mia nodded in understanding, though still feeling surprised. How was it that time passed so much slower? Perhaps it was to do with the dense fog that covered the city, she guessed.

The two had now reached the other end of the tunnel and stepped out into the bright daylight, which was a startling contrast to the darkness of the tunnel they had just walked through. The crowd of people who had been following behind came out after them and separated, drifting back into the city.

Mia gasped aloud as she looked upon the most amazing sight she had seen before. What she saw was an entire city laid out before her, grander and more beautiful than even Imil or Prox. It didn't seem quite as extravagant as the Tolbi palace however. She saw Lemuria, a city that was ancient and still thriving, a feast for eyes, seen only by Mercury Adepts such as her. She was lucky, being one of the few people outside of Lemuria who would ever get to see such a fine place. Piers stood besides her and waited patiently for her to take in the sights before they would proceed.

The buildings were much taller than Tolbi's and more decorative on the outside. They were built from marble and stone and were mainly grey with ripples of vivid colour running through the stone foundations, giving Lemuria a colourful look. The windows were made of glass, cleanly polished, and near transparent coloured panes had been fixed onto the windows, casting rainbow splashes on the ground below where the sun rebounded off.

Flowers swayed in the breeze, their heads bowing in unison as the wind gently shook them. A puppy gambolled in the freshly cut green grass, laughing children chasing after it past a gushing fountain. Mia fixed her gaze on the fountain, noticing a granite woman with long hair and small angel wings with a wide open mouth, her arms spread out on either side. Clear, sparkling water flowed out of her mouth into the stone bowl around her.

"It really is a lovely place, isn't it?" Piers could tell by the way Mia was perfectly still, gazing at everything in sight, that she was impressed. Mia could only nod silently, her mouth hanging open in amazement. "There is plenty more to see, but shall we go to the palace first and talk there?"

"Oh, yes, of course." Mia snapped out of her reverie and turned away from the sights in front of her, smiling at him. "The city really is so beautiful. I expect that your palace will be even more amazing than this. I am glad that Prox has never touched this wonderful city." She had seen the destruction they could do and never wanted to see it ever again. "They attacked Imil, destroyed the palace... it was terrible."

"I have never heard of Prox, but hearing this from you makes me relieved of that fact," Piers said, looking at her sympathetically. "I am sorry to hear that Imil was attacked by such awful people. And what of the other members of the royal family?"

"I am the last one," Mia said quietly, gazing down at her feet. "My father was struck down by the Proxians, and there is nobody else, so I will be the one to take the throne if I return to the city."

"I heard that Imil was a grand kingdom from the stories I've been told," Piers said, gazing up at the sky as he remembered the tales he'd listened to when he was young. A long, long time ago, before Lemuria concealed itself, it communicated freely with the rest of the world. Of course, this was ages before I was born."

"Yes, Imil was a grand kingdom," Mia agreed. "I'd like to think it still could be. If the palace is rebuilt and I return, it can be restored to its former glory, can't it? No matter what, I'm going to see that it is revived. My father would want me to do it, I know. But the quest comes first. So, you have the Teardrops of Luna?"

"Well, that is to say, sort of," Piers answered hesitantly. "I will explain everything when we get to the palace." Mia nodded, looking satisfied. At least she had found the right place after all. They were closer to getting the Teardrops. With the sacred treasures in her hands, Mia would be protecting Imil's secret.

* * *

"How much longer are those guys going to take?" Garet grumbled, kicking his legs against the barrel in frustration. "I'm really hungry after that battle. It took a lot of energy out of us, didn't it?" 

"I know what you mean. Fighting against something like that really gave me an appetite," Jenna muttered, rubbing her stomach which was feeling increasingly empty. "I would really like to eat something right now."

"We've been waiting for quite a while now," Felix spoke up, gazing into the distance ahead of the ship. "I guess they must be bringing us a lot of food, judging by the time they are taking." He then stared at the deck with a rueful expression. "It's not really much fun sitting and waiting on the ship, is it?"

"It's so boring!" Garet complained. "Just because we aren't Mercury Adepts, we get stuck out here dying of boredom. I hope Mia comes back soon then we can leave and find something else to do."

"Hey, there are people coming," Isaac said suddenly, still watching over the side of the boat. He had barely moved from his position ever since Mia left. "They seem to be bringing food with them." Indeed, people had come out from the entrance in the cliff side, carrying trays covered in cloth as well as jugs and pitchers.

The group with the food approached the ship and held out their offerings, which the Adepts quickly took off their hands. Eventually, everything was safely on the deck, waiting to be consumed, and the group of Lemurians were empty handed. Garet was already staring hungrily at the trays, eager to begin eating the delicious food.

"If you need anything else, do not hesitate to call one of the guards at the entrance," said one of the Lemurians, curtseying as he spoke. "Remember, it is forbidden for you to leave the ship at any time while you are here. Our rules must be adhered to." With that, the group of Lemurians swiftly left, heading back the way they had come and the dock was quiet once more. The Adepts sat down around the trays and quickly pulled away the cloths covering the dishes. Delicious smells wafted up to them as the cloths were pulled away and steam rose into the air.

"Oh, wow, this all looks so good," Isaac commented, licking his lips as he looked at what the trays had to offer. An assortment of hot dishes greeted them, laid with various meats and steaming vegetables, as well as a selection of breads. His eyes moved to the last tray, where some puddings waited to be eaten. "And they even gave us dessert as well."

"It's almost like our very own banquet," Felix said, surprised at the sheer amount of dishes that sat before them. "Are we really going to be able to eat all this?" He paused, glancing at Garet for a second, then decided it would be better not to add anything. Garet got teased enough about his appetite without him joining in. Felix reached for one of the jugs and poured it into a tumbler. A dark, red liquid came gushing out. He took the tumbler and sniffed, then took a sip. "Hmm, this isn't so bad either."

"This food is great," Garet mumbled through a mouthful of chicken as he hungrily tore into a greasy chicken leg. "We should totally come to Lemuria more often," he added after swallowing, before taking another bite.

"It's not nice to take advantage of people's generosity, you know," Isaac chided, though he knew Garet had really been kidding. Who would want to take the trial of the Sea of Time and battling Poseidon again? He brought a sweet baked potato to his mouth and started chewing.

"I was never able to eat anything this good in Prox. They didn't treat the slaves this nicely," Jenna murmured, before hungrily biting into a rib and tearing off the meat with relish. She paused, licking sauce off her lips. "And even after leaving Prox, we haven't had anything like this. Hey, why does Lemuria have to hide anyway? It can't just be because of the Teardrops of Luna, surely?"

"Oh, so they really do have the Teardrops of Luna?" Garet looked up in confusion, pausing between bites. He tried to remember whatever Piers had said before taking Mia away into Lemuria. "Did the King say something about that?"

"Well, isn't it kind of obvious?" Felix asked. "Those people were waiting for Mia to come here. It's got to be because of the Teardrops of Luna. I doubt Mia is, well, betrothed to anyone here or anything ridiculous like that."

"Betrothed?" Isaac almost choked on the food in his mouth at the thought. No way that could be possible, he thought and hoped. "Yeah, that's definitely not it," he added, hastily swallowing his food. "It's got to be Luna's tears."

"Isaac doesn't seem to like the idea of Mia being betrothed," Garet teased, having caught Isaac's expression before he could recover. "Now why is that? Do you not want Mia to get married to someone other than you?" Isaac glanced down at his food, looking embarassed. "Have you got a crush, Isaac?"

"...No," Isaac muttered, looking very interested in the food. His face was rapidly turning red in his discomfort. "She's just... er... very pretty..."

"You are totally falling for her," Garet pointed out, smirking as he watched Isaac almost squirm. "Do you remember when you were, I don't know... six or so, and you dreamed of a pretty lady? It would be pretty funny if she looked like Mia." He then let out a small laugh.

"I don't remember that at all." Isaac looked perplexed. "When did I say anything like that?" He hardly remembered his early years, not even the day that he had almost died of that mysterious illness and miraculously recovered. But sometimes he was aware he dreamed of a woman, except when he woke up, the woman was quickly forgotten. Isaac hadn't spoken of the woman in his dreams however, so Garet only seemed to know of the time so long ago. "I'm sure it's normal to dream of people."

"But dreaming of people you don't know is pretty strange," Felix spoke up, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "I really like the dreams where those Proxians come to Vale that day but this time, I'm beating them all up and making them run away, and nobody gets taken."

"I wish I could dream of the past," Jenna murmured wistfully, draining the contents of her tumbler and gazing at the sky. All she ever dreamed of was Prox and the life of slavery she had been trapped in. The past still had yet to reveal itself to her. Her memories were no closer to returning. "I'm still waiting to get my memories back. If only my dreams could help."

"I'm sure you'll get them back someday," Garet said encouragingly. "Cheer up, okay? I don't want to see a girl looking sad."

Jenna looked at him and smiled in spite of herself. "Sorry. I just..."

"Let's start on the dessert now," Isaac suggested, reaching for a plate with a large applie pie on it. "This apple pie looks quite delicious." He leaned over and inhaled, taking in the rich smell. "Mmm..."

* * *

"That's the palace?" Mia exclaimed in astonishment. Lemuria was grand and beautiful, but the palace was even grander and more beautiful to her and she had only seen the outside so far. It stretched taller than all the other buildings, built of gleaming stone that seemed to shine in the sunlight. The roof was flat, an additional structure placed upon it with a door, which evidently meant that people could go onto the roof and look upon the city from up high. On the roof of that smaller structure stood a statue of a person standing tall and proud, raising a mighty spear to the sky that seemed to even go into the clouds. "It's... beautiful!" 

"You haven't seen anything yet. It is much more impressive inside," Piers said. He nodded to the guards standing outside the palace doors. "I will be escorting Princess Mia inside now." The guards hastily stepped aside for him, opening the door, and he gestured. "Ladies first." Mia did as he said and he followed her in, closing the door shut behind himself.

The palace was indeed more beautiful inside, as Piers had claimed. The main hall was large with chandeliers hanging off the ceiling and crystalline pools of water on either side. Tall mermaid statues crafted from marble were erected on podiums in the centre of each pool. Mia studied her reflection in the clear water and for a fleeting moment, she felt ashamed. The clothes she wore now were so plain, her hair was tied back in a rough ponytail and she wasn't even wearing jewellery. Travelling seemed to have taken its toll on her.

"Come with me. I will take you on a special tour of the Palace of Lemuria." Piers led Mia away, stopping only to briefly examine a basket of roses hanging off the wall. Mia inhaled the smell and smiled, enjoying the fresh and fragrant smell that greeted her. She had not smelled roses like that in a very long time. They were almost perfect with silken red petals that refused to fall, clinging on to the slender emerald stems which were covered with biting thorns that could prick someone if they were not careful and draw crimson blood, red like the roses themselves.

Mia obediently followed Piers through the palace, taking interest in everything that he chose to point out to her. The palace was certainly large compared to even the one in Tolbi. Mia soon lost count of all the floors they travelled, lost in a myriad of twisting hallways and joining rooms that seemed to lead her on a giddy dance as if daring her to be lost in the palace for eternity. Many things reminded her of the palace in Imil, but rather than feeling homesick for something that had been ruined forever, she felt happy as if she had found a bit of home that was still there.

"We will be having a banquet later on," Piers said as he led her through a gallery, Mia glancing up at the portraits of previous rulers of Lemuria, still attentivelylistening to Piers as she did so. "I expect that you are hungry especially after fighting the Guardian. He was designed to protect Lemuria from intruders. Only true Adepts could possibly defeat him or even have gotten through the Sea of Time. Sometimes people get lucky with passing through the Sea of Time however. Poseidon will not attack anyone he judges as weak. He obviously saw you all as a worthy match."

"Why, yes, I am hungry actually," Mia murmured in shock and sudden realisation. She had barely noticed her increasingly emptying stomach beginning to complain, too taken up with the sights of the Lemurian Palace. Piers smiled at her over his shoulder and she smiled back, before glancing down consciously at her fingernails. Dirt was trapped underneath the white crescents, making her fingers seem more dirty than clean. "But I wonder if I could clean up first? Can I possibly do that?"

"Yes, you may," Piers responded. "I will call the servants to come and assist you." He led her out into a hallway and they found a maid, a grayish blue haired woman wearing a smock, carrying a bundle of linen in her arms. Piers took her aside and gave her some orders then she immediately rushed off to do as he ordered. The next thing Mia knew, she was being led away by female servants, Piers telling her he would see her later, and she was taken into a bedroom then into the adjoining bathroom.

It was exquistite, that was the immediate word that came to Mia's mind. There was a large round hole in the middle where water would be poured in. Soaps and shampoos were tucked neatly into compartments. There was a bundle of soft, fluffy, clean towels in a corner of the room. A fragrant aroma scented the bathroom. Mia inhaled deeply as she sat down on a chair, waiting for the servants to collect enough hot water to fill her bath. They would have to heat the water over a fire and then carry it in buckets.

The bath was soon filled and a maid ushered Mia into the bath. She sighed blissfully as she sank into the steaming hot water, the bubbles obscuring the depths beyond the surface. Mia rested against the stone rim of the bath and let the maids attend to her, scrubbing her back and soaping her soft skin, thoroughly washing her long blue hair and bidding her wash the rest of her body. Mia did so with a sponge and soapy water, cleansing away the grime of the past days. When she was clean, the maid helped her out of the bath and wrapped a thick, fluffy towel around her, leading her into the bedroom. Mia sat on a chair, tightly snuggled in the warm towel, while the maid dried her hair with a smaller towel and brushed it so that it flowed over her shoulders and took on a glossy shine. For the first time in ages, Mia was beginning to look like a true princess again.

Mia was surprised to find she would not be wearing her old garments, she had simply assumed they would just wash them and give them back, but instead they had found a beautiful dress for her to wear. It was long, ankle-length, and made of creamy white silk, with delicate blue patterns adorning it. There was also a midnight blue shawl with a violet underlining, as well as blue slippers studded with clear, dark blue and purple crystals. Mia was speechless, her outfit really was beautiful, and she admired it as the maids helped her put it on, tying her hair back with a white ribbon. Mia looked at her reflection in the mirror and smiled. Now she really was looking like a proper princess again, and she felt it as well.

"Um, milady?" A maid ventured, appearing on Mia's right. Mia tore her eyes away from the reflection and turned to look at the maid with a questioning expression. "You are to dine with King Piers and I believe you should be going down to see him now."

"Okay." Mia nodded. "I am ready now. But how will I find my way there?"

"Oh, it's okay," another maid interjected hastily. "I will take you there." She walked out of the room with Mia following and led her through a familiar maze of hallways and down stairs, until Mia found herself in a dining hall. The maid bade Mia to wait and left. Mia took the time she had to look around the hall. The walls were red, the carpet was a much darker red with a gold pattern, and the ceiling was white with ornate carvings running along the topmost parts of the wall. Fire flared brightly from stone torches attached to the wall, casting a rosy glow onto the hall.

"Ah, so you're here." Piers approached Mia, not having changed his clothes since she saw him last. But of course he had already been dressed for occasion so it was really not required for him to do so. "Now that you are ready, it is time to eat. We will be having a grand banquet in your honour."

"Oh, you really didn't have to go to so much trouble." A light blush crept across Mia's face. "I wouldn't have minded just having a simple dinner..."

"Nonsense. It's no trouble at all," Piers insisted. "You are a guest, a special one, and you deserve special treatment, plus this really is no hassle. As the King, I eat like this almost all the time. Now..." He led Mia down the hall and pulled back a chair, motioning. "Please take a seat." Mia hurriedly complied and he sat at the end of the table, folding his arms and leaning on the table. Other people, presumably his attendants, were also sitting at the table. "Food should be served soon, but while we are waiting, we shall have a chat."

"We're going to talk about the Teardrops of Luna?" Mia asked hopefully, picking up her napkin off her plate and spreading it on her lap so that she would not run the risk of staining her beautiful new dress.

"Eventually, I will get to that." Piers smiled. "You are an enthusiastic young woman. But first, let me tell you a tale of the Royal Line of Mercury... would it surprise you to know that we both came from the same line?" Mia took a sharp breath and leaned forwards, her eyes widening in shock. "Yes, it is true. A long time ago, there were brothers. They were the only heirs and they were twins, so it was difficult who to decide to entrust the kingdom to. So, one brother, he took a ship and he departed from Lemuria. This was a long time back, before the Sea of Time existed and we were covered in mist, so travelling back and forth was fairly easy. The other brother remained to rule Lemuria and it is from him my line came. The brother who left, he sailed to the north of Angara and founded a village over which he ruled. It grew in time to be a town, and then a city."

"Imil..." Mia guessed, looking astonished as well as pleased. This was beyond her wildest dreams, she had not have imagined that she could find family in Lemuria, somebody related to her by blood. Royal blood. "So we're... distant cousins?"

"Yes." Piers nodded, brushing aside a strand of aquamarine hair that had dislodged itself from the ponytail and spilled over his shoulder. "I am probably a few generations before you however, since in Lemuria, time runs much slower than outside in the real world. That is to say, once the brother left Lemuria, he aged normally. He took a wife and children with him, as well as other people who wished to leave Lemuria with him, so that the clan of Mercury would not risk dying out wherever he went. Unfortunately, perhaps you are the only one now."

"Almost." Mia rested her chin in her hand, looking thoughtful. "There were not a lot of Water Adepts in Imil, and most of them weren't particularly strong and didn't practice Psynergy like they should have. Prox killed quite a few people in their attack including my father, and I don't exactly know who else. When the people of Prox left Imil behind, they took two captives. One of them was me and the other was a servant, who was orphaned at a young age and taken into the palace. Alex is a Water Adept like me. Unfortunately, he is now on the side of Prox and I despise him, he is nothing but a common traitor."

"A traitor like that should not even deserve to be connected to the Mercury clan," Piers said disgustedly, his face twisted in a grimace. "I cannot believe that somebody should side with the very people who dared to assassinate the King, your own father. I am glad you escaped Prox... do they know of the Teardrops of Luna?"

"Yes, they do. They managed to learn about them from the ancient scripture," Mia answered, nodding her head in confirmation. Piers looked dismayed at the news. "It was passed down through the royal line, and there was the song as well. Do you know of the song and scripture that I speak of? It seems that Prox picked up the scripture while plundering the palace and Alex probably told them about the song as well."

"Yes, I know the song and I have heard of the scripture." Piers exhaled, crossing his arms and gazing at a flickering torch light. The light danced erratically in his golden eyes as he continued speaking. "Lemuria has always held the secret of the Teardrops of Luna for a day when they would be needed. There were also Sol's Flames, but we never did have those. When the brother was about to leave Lemuria, the other brother entrusted him with the scripture and bade him keep it safe, handing it down through his line, so that if they should ever need to solve the mystery of the tears and flames for some reason, they would be able to figure it out. Everybody had to know the song as well. Obviously, Lemuria was not addressed, but it required skilled people who could take the time to travel the world and also only somebody of royal blood would be able to claim the Teardrops."

"Do you know how Luna's Tears and Sol's Flames came into existence?" Mia asked in a hushed voice, drinking in all that Piers had to say with insatiable curiosity. This was beyond anything she had heard before.

"Nobody really does." Piers brightened as servants came bustling into the hall with food and drink, placing them on the table in front of Piers, Mia and the other people who were also sitting down. "Well, food is served, help yourself."

* * *

Mia was full after the hearty banquet and by the time she and Piers left the palace, it was beginning to get dark, the sun dipping just beyond the horizon and leaving a reddish-purple glow in the darkening sky. The air was growing cold and bit sharply at them, yet they disregarded it, having a natural resistance to low temperature. 

"So." Mia clasped her hands together, looking up at the Lemurian king. They walked side by side along a pathway that led through patches of sweet smelling flowers. "How am I to get the Teardrops of Luna?"

"Have patience, I will explain shortly," Piers assured her. "But for now, enjoy the view of Lemuria at night. The fireflies are coming out now, see? However, when you do get the Teardrops, you have to be careful. Prox may be after you especially once you've got them, so be wary. It would be terrible if such a wicked empire was to take control of the world."

"Do you think Prox had Sol's Flames in the beginning?" Mia wondered. "Prox has mostly Mars Adepts, and a lot of them too. The flames would certainly suit them, much like here everyone is a Water Adept so it makes sense that Lemuria would have Luna's Tears."

"Why Sol would give his fire to an evil place, I don't know." Piers frowned, his smooth brow creasing with lines as he did so. "We have always had good intentions, it figures Luna would give us the Tears, but for Sol to give his Flames to a place like that... I wonder what his reasons were..."

"I don't think Prox was always evil," Mia said hastily. "One of the people I travel with, she lived in Prox for a long time even though she isn't Proxian. She was actually captured by them a long time ago. She said that Prox was actually once a poor, starving town and in their desperation to survive, they may just have adopted that way of life to save themselves from the brink. I don't think Prox is truly evil... just misguided."

"You have a wise heart, Mia," Piers observed, smiling at her. "You can see the people for whom they are, and not the assumptions that may be drawn from their actions. However, I would not think this Alex is good anymore since he allied with them and he was even willing to capture you and try and use you to claim Luna's Tears."

"He's corrupted." Mia chewed her bottom lip, glancing sadly at the stone path she treaded. "He isn't the Alex that I once knew. I hate the new one, he is loathsome and vile, a power-hungry creature who will use anybody, even those who were once close to him. I can never forgive Alex for his sins and I have a feeling I will be seeing him again."

"Perhaps." Piers threw a worried glance her way. "That could happen. You will have to be quick on your quest before anybody has a chance to get the Tears. No matter what, nobody must get their hands on them. Coupled with Sol's Flames, the result could be devastating. However, if one person uses the Tears and the other uses the Flames, they have to have a battle and the winner..."

"The winner gets their way," Mia recited the last line of the song, her eyes gleaming as it came back to her in a sudden rush. It brought back so many memories as she recalled each and every line. "The song... it makes so much sense all of a sudden. Before it was a bit confusing, but now I understand!"

"It should by now." Piers came to a stop and took a deep breath. He made a sweeping gesture with his arm. "Look over there, Mia, that is the very place where tonight you will be performing the ritual to gain Luna's tears."

"Over there?" Mia stepped closer and blinked as she saw what Piers was gesturing at. It seemed like a sideshow where people watched from the sidelines as somebody performed at the centre, but nobody was down there right now. It was a simple ring of smooth, clear white stone, vast in diameter, with a ring of steps leading up and away from the centre. "The ritual?" She looked at Piers. "What's this ritual?"

"Don't worry, Mia." Piers smiled, attempting to clear away any fears she might have had. "It is quite simple. You just have to dance and sing. How we know that, I don't know, but apparently you have to do that. And when the moon..." He gestured at the face of Luna which was rising steadily into the sky. "When it is in a certain position, I'm pretty sure something special will happen right then."

"I suppose I could dance," Mia said finally. "I'm probably a little bit out of practice... um, so I have to sing? But what song should I be singing? Is there a particular one that might be needed?" The only thing she really could think of right now was the song, but could she sing that over and over? If she had to, she supposed she could. It was worth it to get Luna's Tears.

"I am not really sure," Piers admitted with a somewhat guilty look on his face. "I don't believe the ritual has ever actually been performed before, there's just something in the ancient records about what the ritual entails, singing out to Luna and dancing with all your might, doing so as she shines right over you. Perhaps you might just know the words once you begin. It's possible, surely?"

"Maybe." Mia walked over to the ring of steps and sat down on the smooth white marble, tracing the polished surface with a finger. The wind teased her hair, blowing blue strands of it across her face. She half closed her eyes, bowing her head so that her chin rested upon her collarbone. "Whatever it takes, I'm ready for it. I suppose that the whole of Lemuria is going to watch me performing?"

"Only if you want them to," Piers answered, sitting down next to her. "They are quite excited about it. If you don't want them watching, I can always just send them away with a flea in their ear. So, do you want them to watch?"

"Of course I do," Mia answered hastily, her eyes shining with sudden excitement. She was going to give them a performance that they would not forget and maybe her friends on the boat would even hear her too. Now that would be interesting. It was a shame they wouldn't be able to see the performance but she would be able to tell them about the sights of Lemuria itself anyway. "I'm going to do my best tonight. I'll sing so loud that Poseidon could hear me."

"Then I'm looking forwards to it," Piers replied, looking up into the sky. The rising moon reflected itself in his shining eyes and he mentally sent a prayer that the ritual would work and Luna would send Mia her tears. The world was depending upon her, now that Prox was possibly planning to do evil with Sol's Flames and the Teardrops would be needed in order to at least try and prevent it. He also prayed that Mia and her friends would be safe, it would not do for the Tears to fall into the wrong hands.

* * *

Mia took a deep breath as she stepped down into the centre of the ring. She was now being watched by what seemed like several hundred pairs of eyes. It really did seem that the entire population of Lemuria were seated around the ring and they were going to be watching her dance and sing. Mia was feeling a little bit nervous to say the least, feeling as if moths were fluttering around within her stomach. 

Mia stood still, letting the wind breeze past her, ruffling her aquamarine hair. The night was tranquil and peaceful. Not even the Lemurians were speaking as they respectfully watched her and kept quiet. It would not do to be having a conversation while she performed the ritual that mattered to them so much. They were the ones entrusted with the secret of Luna's Tears and it was their duty to watch quietly as the ritual was performed and the tears given to the one performing. Now she who would be dancing for the Teardrops had come, it would be a memorable night for sure.

'Well, this is it.' Mia glanced up into the inky black sky, studded with shining stars. They twinkled brightly, arranged in their own special patterns that never did seem to change. Her gaze travelled towards the silver orb that hung in the sky, it was not yet directly above her, but when it was, she had to be dancing by then. Mia smiled as she thought about how not so long ago she had been wondering inside her cell if the song had even meant anything, and now she knew that it did. Who knew that the moon could have ended up counting for so much? 'Father, it's time I did this for you, for the world. I won't dishonour the Mercury clan, I'm going to do this and Prox is not going to win, especially after what they did to you. Luna, I hope you give me your tears tonight. Okay, I should start now... I wonder how the others are doing? No, don't worry about them... just start...'

Trying to force all thoughts out of her mind and think only of Luna and the dance, Mia took a quick step forwards and then another, twirling in a full circle and effortlessly gliding in the air as she took step after step, the wind practically lifting her off her feet every time she moved. Dancing was so smooth, so easy, yet it was as if nature was helping her to do it. She skipped and twirled in a rapid motion, and Lemurians around her admired her talents in dancing. Mia opened her mouth and began to sing.

Her dancing had been good enough for the spectators, but her singing really was something else. A sweet melody poured out of her mouth, gentle, lilting words that reached up to the sky, up to Luna herself. The words were foreign yet beautiful. They not of a language she knew and neither did she even know what she was singing. It was as Piers had guessed, the words were simply coming to her in a steady flow and perhaps the same could be said for her dancing style to. Luna crept ever closer to the dancing, twirling, leaping figure, her silver rays of light that came from Sol spreading over Lemuria. The ring of stone that Mia danced on also began to shine brightly.

* * *

"Hey, I can hear something," Isaac said in a hushed voice, walking to the side of the ship and looking in the direction of the city. "Can you guys hear it too?" He fell quiet, holding his breath as he listened to the faint strains of a voice carrying toward the ship. It was definitely a female voice. Everyone else fell quiet, listening for what Isaac was hearing. They were all sleepy and relaxed after the large meal, so keeping quiet wasn't a problem. 

"Someone is singing, right?" Felix could hear the faint voice that seemed to be struggling to reach their ears. "It's kind of faint, but I can just about hear it." He let out a startled exclamation as a beam of light shot up from the city, a soft glow beneath it. The radiant light emitted by the beam seemed to be spreading so far, that it even lit up the ship. The ray of light continued to streak up through the sky, even above the few clouds that could be seen as if it was heading somewhere within space itself. "What is that light supposed to be? It's amazing."

"That's Mia singing, isn't it?" Isaac guessed, intently listening to the singing. He couldn't pick out the words, but he knew that it was a beautiful voice. The kind of voice that might have belonged to someone like Mia, he thought. "She has the voice of an angel," he whispered, eyes shining in rapture. If only he could be a bit closer, then he could hear her properly. He leaned over on the ship, smiling dreamily as he continued to listen to Mia's heavenly singing voice.

"She does sing pretty well, huh?" Jenna stood still, staring in amazement at the light coming from the city as she listened intently to the beautiful singing voice floating toward them on the wind. "I guess with her being a Princess and all, they would have trained her to sing well at the palace, right? So it's not so surprising. But it's still impressive." She turned, looking at Garet who was slumped against the side of the ship and appeared to be struggling to stay awake. "What do you think, Garet?"

"Yeah, sure, it sounds nice," Garet mumbled sleepily, breaking out into a large yawn and reaching up to rub his eyes. "I didn't think Mia was going to be away this long. They could have told us it would be all day. Sheesh, I'm so tired." He blinked rapidly, gazing up at Jenna. "What about you? Can you sing well?"

"Keep it down, guys. I want to listen to Mia sing," Isaac protested, straining to hear the singing over their voices as he continued to look toward the city, gazing at the beam of light. Was Mia below it right now? What could be causing that unearthly glow rising from Lemuria? He let out a quiet sigh, contented by the sound of her voice. It was the most beautiful song he had ever heard and being able to hear it was an enjoyable experience for him.

"Why don't you just ask her to sing another time? She's coming back, you know," Felix pointed out, to which Isaac simply threw a baleful glance at him in return. He shook his head in exasperation. It was clear that Isaac was head over heels for Mia and everyone else could see it too.

"Me? Can I sing? Hmm..." Jenna crossed her arms across her chest, looking pensive as she thought about the question. "I never really get the chance to sing, so I don't know. I would probably sound pretty bad anyway. There's no need for you to hear me sing." She turned away, shaking her head. Even next to Mia, she would look bad anyway. Jenna didn't think she was willing to try in this situation.

"Oh, come on, Mask," Garet protested, though he was smiling. "I bet you can sound really good. We'll just ignore Mia, if that's what you're worried about. I swear I won't compare you to her or anything."

"No. It would be too embarassing," Jenna said obstinately, hunching up her shoulders as she did so. "I don't want to do it."

"Aw, come on. Please?" Garet asked. "I swear I won't laugh or anything, no matter how bad you sound. I promise."

"You think she might sound bad?" Felix interrupted, raising an eyebrow. Garet had a strange way of asking for things at times.

"Ah... no... that's not what I meant!" Garet exclaimed quickly. "I'm sure you have a wonderful voice. Really."

"Oh, never mind," Isaac sighed, turning his back to the city and facing his companions. "It's not like I can hear her that well anyway. Go on, Mask, why don't you try singing?"

"Well... I don't know..." Jenna said uneasily, glancing at Garet. "I doubt I can sing..."

"Someone with a pretty face must have a pretty voice, right?" Garet teased. "Come on, it's just for fun."

"You've seen her face?" Isaac sat next to him, looking surprised. "I haven't."

"Yeah..." Garet leaned over and murmured into his ear, something that Jenna didn't catch. It had been just once that he'd seen her, but evidently he hadn't forgotten it. Isaac's eyes widened as he listened to Garet explain about the time he'd caught her unmasked and even said who she'd reminded him of.

Once Garet had finished, Isaac was left feeling even more convinced as well as surprised at Garet's apparent lack of brains. How could he not have seen something so obvious? Isaac hadn't even seen her face and he was already getting ideas. If Garet was right about finding Mask similar in appearance to a certain person... then she had to be...

Jenna swallowed heavily, trying not to feel nervous. It was silly to get nervous or embarassed over something as small as this, but she didn't want to look bad in front of Garet. Still, he was asking her to do this, so if it made him happy, then she figured she was happy to do it. It was a chance to impress him as well. Somehow, that made her feel better.

"Alright then," Jenna said finally. "I'll sing if you want me to so badly. But don't make fun of me if I'm bad at it, okay?"

"Nobody will make fun of you," Felix insisted. "We wouldn't be that mean. Go ahead."

Jenna nodded, then cleared her throat and took a breath, pausing as she tried to think of a song. She realised she didn't know any offhand. How often did she even listen to people singing? There had to be something she could think of. Jenna closed her eyes, struggling to think of something. Suddenly, words were coming into her mind. She didn't know where they were from, but somehow, they were familiar.

Jenna opened her mouth and began to sing, the words coming out of her mouth in a soft, enchanting melody. "I'm searching for you, every night before I dream. Won't you come to me... my shooting star..."

Garet quietly gazed at her in amazement, awestruck by her gentle, warm voice as she sang. She really could sing well after all. He remained still, listening intently to each one of her words. Isaac and Felix were also raptured by the sound of her voice. It seemed that she'd underestimated herself after all.

"I want to see you again," Jenna softly sang, her eyes beginning to sting as she listened to the haunting melody of her words. "Every night I watch for you, why won't you appear in the sky?" The words seemed to remind her of a time gone by, a past she was missing. She felt as if she'd lost something and found it again.

"My shooting... shining star... I know I'll see you again... someday..." Jenna trailed off, unable to remember any more words. A rush of emotion surged through her. It had almost been there. The memory of her past, reaching out to her, but again it had slipped away before she could properly seize it. All she had was the song she'd remembered out of the blue. But where was the song from? Jenna sighed and walked over to the cabin wall, leaning against it and trying to keep her emotions under control.

At that moment, the moon came into position directly above Mia who continued to dance and sing among the throngs of Lemurians. There was a flash of glittering light as something appeared to streak down from Luna, small objects that were barely visible against the radiant silvery white light that continued to shine vibrantly from Lemuria. Mia's voice was also starting to ebb away as her singing trailed to a stop.

"Mia's stopped singing," Isaac realised, turning and looking in the direction of Lemuria. "Is it over? What was that whole thing about anyway?"

"Hey, Mask, are you alright?" Garet asked concernedly, walking over to her. "What's the matter? I thought your singing was great."

"I... I'm fine..." Jenna whispered, reaching up to rub a tear away from her eye. "I just felt as if I remembered something. But I couldn't remember anything else. Just that song. Who sang it to me? Why can't I at least remember that?"

"You mean you didn't make it up or anything? Hey, well, at least that means your memories might come back soon, right?" Garet said hopefully. Jenna answered with a loud sniff. "Hey, come on, don't cry. You sang really well... maybe you were even better than Mia. I wouldn't know, I hardly heard her... and everything's going to be okay. Mia might even have the Teardrops right now and..."

His rambling was cut off when Jenna suddenly flung herself upon him, burying her face in his chest and wrapping her arms around him. The tears started falling freely down her cheeks as she leaned against him. Garet gazed at the top of her head in surprise for a second, then put his arms around her in an effort to comfort her as she silently cried.

Felix stood still, lost in his thoughts, scarcely aware of what was going on around him. The song that she had been singing to them just now, somehow it sounded familiar, like a distant memory from the past. But where was that song from? He walked over to the side of the ship, next to Isaac, and leaned on the side, frowning intently.

"What's the matter, Felix?" Isaac asked, noticing his troubled expression.

"It's just, the song that Mask sang..." Felix said uneasily. "I think I've heard that song before, a long time ago. I'm just trying to remember where I heard it from..."

"Really?" Isaac looked over his shoulder at where Garet and Jenna were still holding each other. "Well, that's interesting. I wonder where she would have heard that song from too." Now that he thought about it, the song had sounded faintly familiar to him as well, but he hadn't realised it at the time. "I think I might have heard it as well. I'm not sure."

Felix remained silent, trying to remember where he could have heard a song like that before. Why was such a small thing bothering him? He felt as if he should remember it. His mother had sung sometimes, though he'd never really paid attention to the songs, but Jenna had liked to listen. She had even learned one or two of the songs. He sighed, feeling a familiar pang as he thought of the distant past.

* * *

Mia sagged from exhaustion, relief surging through her and bringing a sleepy smile to her face. She wanted to fall asleep right there on the white marble even in front of the cheering Lemurians. Piers was already rushing down to her, catching her before she could fall down. Mia raised her clenched hand and unfolded it, staring in amazement at the objects lying across her palm. They had come falling from the moon and she had caught them as she danced, reaching towards them and catching them with a sweep of her arm. Mia finally had the much sought for treasure, the Teardrops of Luna. Three small, teardrop-shaped crystals that were filled with clear water. The crystals had a blue tint to them and when she moved them, she could see the bluish light glimmering through the translucent liquid. 

"The Teardrops of Luna," Mia whispered reverently, looking joyfully up at Piers through her sleepy eyes. She was so tired from all that dancing she had done to get Luna's tears, she had to will her head to even move yet it moved somewhat slowly, her fatigued bones practically creaking as they moved. Piers had an arm around her, supporting her on her feet. "I need... to go back... to the ship now..."

"I will help you there." Piers guided the weary Mercury Adept through the city and through the tunnel between Lemuria the dock, towards the ship upon which four Adepts still waited for her. Mia clutched Luna's Tears tightly in her hand. Even tiredness would not allow her to drop them, she had a responsibility to look after them now and there was no way she would lose them. She blearily tried to remember what they were supposed to do now but her lethargic mind was functioning too slowly to allow her to recall it.

"Mia!" Isaac exclaimed as he glanced over the side of the ship, joyful to see her after what seemed like so long. Piers practically lifted her up onto the ship, Mia too tired to even thank him. She staggered forwards and looked up into Isaac's deep blue eyes, which showed so many emotions at the same time- anxiety, relief, curiosity and happiness. A fresh wave of gladness overtook Mia and she ran towards him, collapsing against the Venus Adept who hurriedly caught her before she fell to the deck. The hand which had before been so tightly holding the crystals gave up on her as the arms encircled his neck and the Tears went flying, shining against the dark sky and glittering like the stars, sailing downwards to meet with a pair of gloved hands. Felix sighed in relief as he caught Luna's Tears safely in his hands. He got back to his feet and turned to look at Piers who was still standing there.

"I assume you will be resting here on the ship tonight?" Picard queried. Felix nodded his head in verification. "That is fine, we have no problem with that, besides you are in no state to take on the Sea of Time at this time of night either. I will come by again tomorrow morning to see you off. Have a nice sleep tonight." Picard smiled and set off back in the direction of the city.

Felix glanced down at the Teardrops of Luna and felt both relief and amazement to look at them. They had worked so hard for these little things and now they had them. Felix could scarcely believe that such small objects could unlock some incredible power. He slipped them into a pocket and looked around at the couples, Isaac holding the drowsy Mia against him, burying his face in her hair and Garet consoling the quietly crying Jenna who clutched at him tightly as if unwilling to let go.

"You know, I'm feeling a bit left out here," Felix muttered, walking towards the cabin and pushing the door open with a soft creak. "Next we've got to look for some sacred peaks... whatever they are." He closed the door behind him and leaned against it, looking around at the darkened room that greeted him. A dying candlelight provided the only source of light to guide him through the ship, but he didn't need it, he knew his way around the ship so well now.

Felix was asleep in his bed as soon as his head hit the pillow, almost not having time to pull the duvet up over his shoulders. In his dreams, he was back in Vale, in the past and everything was happy, the way it used to be before the Proxians came. That song he had heard earlier played itself over and over throughout the dream and he saw stars and people were watching them along with him. He saw his sister as a young child sitting in a patch of moonlight and singing softly. The words she sang were the words to the the same song that he heard earlier. She was all alone out there in the darkness and he wanted to be with her, but for some reason, he could not be.


	21. Chapter 21

**Vision**

* * *

Now we get to see more of Sheba. But not much of Ivan, sadly. Poor Ivan. 

Camelot owns Golden Sun.

* * *

"I hope that you will all have a very safe journey." Piers was currently saying his farewells to the Adepts the next morning as they prepared to set sail away from Lemuria. The five were all excited about finally having the Teardrops of Luna and eager to begin the next step of their quest. "My blessings go with you the whole way." 

"Thank you." Mia smiled down at him from the ship. "I am glad that I got to meet you and learn more about my ancestors and Imil's history. It was very interesting. I hope that we can see each other again, but with Lemuria shrouded in fog and the Sea of Time, it would be rather difficult, wouldn't it?"

"Yes, I am afraid it would be, but you can try," Piers replied, looking slightly regretful. "I often wish to be able to see the world outside of Lemuria. It must be quite interesting, but that would leave me with great difficulty returning. Perhaps one day Lemuria will no longer need to hide, now that our secret has been relinquished, but only time can tell. For now, the fog is still around and the Sea of Time continues to rage. Anyway, you do not have to worry about Poseidon on your return journey. He will not pay attention to people who are leaving."

"Well, that's good about not having to fight Poseidon again," Felix spoke up. "But do we have to tackle the entire Sea of Time again just to get out? It is a bit inconvenient." He hadn't forgotten the terrifying ordeal of avoiding countless whirlpools and trying to pay attention to Isaac's every word while battling raging currents. "Is there a short cut?"

"I really wouldn't know about that," Piers answered. "I have never even been within the Sea of Time after all. But the currents do shift constantly and it is said that there is another exit from the Sea of Time. Perhaps if you are able to find the right current, you can be carried safely out without worry. But that is just an assumption, so do be careful. Well, it is about time you all left, since your quest is fairly urgent after all. Farewell, everyone. Have a safe journey."

The Adepts quickly said their farewells to him, and soon the ship was turning away from the dock. It swiftly glided back toward the Sea of Time, hopefully to find the easy way out as Piers had spoken of. Even the thought of having to battle the currents again couldn't dampen their spirits. They had the Teardrops of Luna at last. Surely the next step of the quest couldn't be simpler with the sacred treasures on hand. The hard part was over, or so they hoped.

* * *

Sheba had found herself alone that morning. She hadn't suspected anything at first when she got up. So Hama and Ivan weren't at home. That was hardly cause for concern. But after she had eaten a quick breakfast that morning and stepped outside, she had found that Contigo was eerily quiet. A heavy silence hung over the deserted town. Not a single person walked through the streets. Nobody seemed to be inside the houses either. All the people of Contigo were gone with a trace, except for her. 

"Hama?" Sheba called out, desperately running through the quiet streets and looking around desperately. What could have happened to make everyone disappear without a word? "Ivan?" Only the intense, terrifying silence greeted her plaintive calls. There was nobody there to answer her. It was just her, alone in this ghost town. She whirled around, looking at every house that surrounded her, in the hope of seeing at least one other person in one of those houses, but they were plainly empty.

Why was Contigo suddenly so deserted? Sheba had never heard of any people planning to leave and besides, it didn't make sense that they would all leave her alone here without saying a word. If this was supposed to be some cruel game they were playing, then she didn't appreciate it very much.

"Is anyone there?" Sheba hollered, walking to the edge of the town. There hardly seemed to be any point in shouting anymore when it was obvious that she was entirely alone in Contigo, but still she was hoping that there might be one other person left, someone who would hear her call and perhaps even have an explanation for what was going on. Still, what explanation could there possibly be for this sudden and total abandonment? Her green eyes began to well up with tears and she stood still, gazing down at her feet.

"Why..." Sheba whispered shakily, trembling with fear and confusion. Something strange was going on here, something she couldn't possibly begin to understand. "Why am I... all alone?" The tears started to fall, trickling down her cheeks and splashing onto the dusty ground below. She was all alone in the abandoned town, frightened by the eerie silence of a place she had never seen so empty before.

A sudden screech resonated through the silence, startling Sheba out of her wits. She gasped, putting a hand over her chest where her heart was rapidly hammering away, and looked up into the sky. A bird was winging its way over the town. So that was what had screeched so suddenly. Sheba sighed in relief and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. The silence was so intense, that even the smallest sounds were startling her so easily.

"Okay," Sheba said, talking to herself. Even listening to her own voice was somewhat comforting when everything was this quiet. "I have to think. What should I do? Nobody is answering me no matter how loud I call out... I guess I really am all alone..." Then it struck her. She had the power of telepathy. Of course, she could use it to try and contact Hama or Ivan, then ask them what was going on, so long as they were able to answer her back. If they even received the message at all. She didn't even have a clue where they were. For all she knew, they were too far away for the telepathy to work.

Sheba bowed her head and clamped her hands to the sides over her ears, squeezing her eyes tightly shut. She concentrated heavily on trying to send a telepathic signal, using her mind to try and locate the other two Jupiter Adepts. However, the result was not what she had been expecting. Wherever she found a link, she immediately found a wall to stop her from going any further. That could only mean one thing, that Hama and Ivan were actually blocking her from communicating with them.

"Why?" Sheba murmured softly, removing her hands from her ears. In a rush, her previous visions came back to her, visions she had tried to block out of her mind because they were so frightening to the fourteen year old. Once again Sheba saw the fearsome warriors with the red eyes coming at her with their swords. There was no way of escape from their path of destruction and no way to avoid being captured. Perhaps it was true after all, she was seeing the future. That could be the reason why nearly everybody in Contigo except for her had disappeared, they wanted to protect themselves.

'But why didn't they try to protect me too?' Sheba wondered miserably, wiping her teary eyes. 'They should have taken me with them when they went into hiding, why are they offering me to them, letting me be captured so easily? Do they want me to be captured? Should I fight them and refuse to let them take me away from Contigo? I'm a Jupiter Adept, so I suppose I could handle it... even if I'm so young...'

The sound of footsteps alerted Sheba and her heart leaped as she imagined that it might be the people of Contigo returning for her. Perhaps they had changed their minds about offering her to the dangerous warriors so easily and were coming back for her to take her to safety so that she couldn't be taken away. Grinning, Sheba rushed towards the source of the footsteps, eager to be reunited with them.

Sheba halted in her tracks and froze, realising that she had just made a horrible mistake. It was not the Contigans after all, but a very different kind of people. They certainly looked different with their pointed ears, crimson eyes and the scales protruding from their bare arms. They all wore thick and impenetrable armor, and had weapons with them. There had to be at least ten of them standing there and Sheba knew just by looking at them that she was no match for them if she chose to fight and running might not be such a good idea.

"Who are you?" Sheba asked bravely, glancing at each warrior in turn. They had pale skin with varying shades of different colours patterned on their faces. The symbol of the Fire Clan gleamed on their chestplates, five bright flames joined together and arcing upwards, with a pattern of three dashes in a triangular arrangement just underneath. Sheba sensed power within these men, they were clearly of a mighty, powerful clan. As she dared to search one warrior's mind, she discovered their origin... Prox. Sheba had heard very little of the world beyond Atteka, but she had heard of a frozen land to the north where a solitary city named Prox was located.

"Ugh..." The man whose mind Sheba had glanced into flinched as if he had been struck. His eyes narrowed and he fixated his gaze directly on the blonde girl, his lip curling. "That little girl did something funny to my head!" he complained, jabbing a stubby, gloved finger at her. "What did you do to me?"

"Please calm down, Vesuvi. That is no way to speak to a young girl." Another soldier with red hair spoke sharply and the man seemed to shrink under his imperious gaze, muttering a soft apology. The soldier smiled and turned his head to face Sheba. "So... you are a Jupiter Adept then?" Sheba mutely nodded. "I thought as much. We are from Prox to the north and we have come to Contigo seeking the most powerful Jupiter Adepts who live here. May we meet them?"

"I suppose I am one of them," Sheba stammered out. "At least, that was what Master Hama told me." The redhaired soldier seemed nice enough so maybe the Proxians weren't as bad as her visions had made out. Perhaps they had simply seemed more frightening to her younger self, or it was due to the circumstances in her visions which had obviously changed. Instead of people trying to protect her and fighting while she tried to run, she was utterly alone this time around. Perhaps it would be safer to just give in and at least find out what they were up to. What could they want with her, or Ivan or Hama? "My name's Sheba. Contigo is deserted at the moment and I have been left alone here."

"Well, Sheba." The redhead smiled faintly, placing his hands on his hips and expelling a heavy sigh. "We are on an important mission and our orders were to seize one of the strongest Jupiter Adepts and take them to Prox. I had not expected that the sole Jupiter Adept we would be able to find would be a young girl. It would be sad if we had to take you by force, so I would rather you did not resist."

"It depends," Sheba replied cautiously, taking a hesitant step backwards. "I just don't know why you would want to take me out of my home and to the north where I've never been before. How can I trust any of you when I don't even know you and I've never seen anybody like you before? What are your reasons?"

"I am Puelle, one of the chief warriors of the Fire Clan, I was assigned to lead this mission." Puelle rubbed his chin thoughtfully, trying to decide how much to tell her. "We really are trustworthy people although our actions may be questionable and I promise no harm will come to you. The reason we need a Jupiter Mage is because we... have desperate need of a very special item, and you are our last hope."

"What is this item?" Sheba demanded to know. Murmurs rose from the crowd of Proxians as they began to mutter among themselves, throwing suspicious stares at her. She simply just stared back in defiance, uncowed by the looks they threw her way.

"That does not matter." Puelle hurriedly tried to sway her before she could get too suspicious. "All that really matters right now is that we desperately need it before it's too late. This could even affect the fate of the world..." He trailed off, hoping that this would sink in and she might accept. If not... he hardly dared to think about it, he just didn't want to.

"I see." Sheba went quiet as she pondered what to do next. It would be useless to run or fight as she knew and if she had been deserted in the village, left for the Proxians to find, then maybe Hama wanted her to go to Prox for some reason she could simply not guess. Perhaps it would be better after all to just go with them, it was better than being forced to at any rate. Either way, she would end up going to Prox. "Very well, I shall go for now, but I intend to return home sometime."

"That is okay." Puelle smiled in satisfaction. "Thank you for complying, I really would have hated it had you chosen to fight and ended up being made to come along against your will. I am sure you will be returning home sooner than you think. Now..." He turned away, glancing in the direction of Atteka Dock. "The ship is over there, let us go now."

As Sheba walked among the flanks of Proxian soldiers, she threw a longing glance back at the quiet, solitary hometown and wondered where the Contigans had been hiding and whether she would ever see them again. She had never been on a ship before, never even left the continent, so going to Prox was going to be a strange experience. Hopefully Sheba would return home and she would be able to tell Ivan all about it... after making him apologise, naturally.

* * *

"We did do the right thing, didn't we?" Ivan asked quietly, secluded in the darkness of Anemos Sanctum, the sacred sanctum of the Anemos that was situated right at the edge of Contigo Village. It required a powerful Jupiter Adept to open it, which Hama had done, and let the people of Contigo in before entering and closing the doors of Anemos Sanctum... against Sheba. 

"We had no choice," Hama replied softly, one arm around her brother's shoulders. Ivan felt something wet hit his head and he realised what it was, but he did not say anything. "Hopefully, Sheba will understand and she will not try to fight her fate, I do not wish any harm to come to her, but it was because I did not wish any harm upon any of us either that we had to hide. Perhaps if we had not been hiding, she may have had different ideas."

"I understand." Ivan prayed that Sheba would be safe, he would hate it if she was hurt. "You did what you had to do..." Something brushed against his hand and he shuddered. "I think we've got spiders in here... can we leave yet?"

* * *

"Does anyone have a clue what sacred peaks are meant to be?" Garet asked impatiently. After exiting the Sea of Time, the ship was now passing over the much calmer ocean and everyone was now racking their brains over the clues provided by the scroll and song. They were wondering what the sacred peaks that had stood there since the beginning of the world were meant to be, but couldn't quite figure it out. 

"We still don't have a clue. Asking us every five minutes isn't going to help matters," Felix replied, sounding slightly annoyed as he tried holding a map up to see. The wind would occasionally give it a sharp tug as if trying to pry it from his hands and cast it into the sea where it would be lost forever. "There are quite a few mountains all over Weyard, according to this map."

"Why don't we start with the nearest one first?" Mia suggested. "Save us some time, but if we don't find it, we'll spread out and look further ahead. We're closest to Angara right now, so we could try the mountains there, maybe?"

"That sounds like a good idea." Isaac leaned over to look at the map intently. "Hey, there's a town close by on the coast. Should we go to Champa for a bit and think about what we should do next while we're there? Anyway, we've been sailing for so long, we might as well get some more rations before they completely disappear, thanks to someone."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Garet demanded. "I just get hungry a lot." He crossed his arms sulkily, unimpressed by Isaac's not so well disguised jab at him. So what if he had a large appetite? He didn't see anything wrong with that.

"Anywhere is fine, so long as we get off this ship eventually." Jenna was sitting on one of the barrels with a bored expression on her face. "I can't believe we've been stuck on it for almost two days. So let's just get to Champa already. Then maybe we can finally figure out whatever those sacred peaks are. What is so sacred about them anyway?"

"Why couldn't the song and that scripture just tell us the facts?" Garet sighed. "I'm so tired of riddles and running around trying to solve them. Why is everything so hard to figure out anyway?"

"You really need to ask that?" Mia looked dryly at Garet. "If it was so easy, someone would probably have conquered the world a long time ago with artifacts of power or even destroyed it. That doesn't sound so fun, does it? We're stopping Prox from doing just that by protecting the Teardrops of Luna."

"Yeah... I guess that's right..." Garet muttered, feeling slightly foolish. "Anyway, I hope we figure out whatever that mountain is supposed to be soon."

"Okay, Champa, it is then," Felix decided, folding up the map. "It shouldn't be far. It's right near the coast. We'll be there in a matter of minutes." He took hold of the tiller and the ship turned slightly to the left, heading toward the nearby coastal town, Champa.

* * *

"It feels so good to finally be on proper, dry ground," Isaac said in satisfaction as he walked across the shore, a happy smile on his face. "I was getting really sick of being cooped up on the ship." Champa was straight ahead, visible from the shoreline, and the group reached it in a short amount of time, stepping into the town and looking around in wonder. 

"So, this is what Champa looks like." Mia was intrigued by the town's appearance. A waterfall flowed down from the mountains and a gushing river ran through the town and out into the sea. The people of Champa had built docks and apparently most of the villagers lived on makeshift houseboats tied securely to the jetties. "That looks like an interesting way to live. I've never seen anything like it before."

"Can anyone smell fish? It's really strong." Garet sniffed, wrinkling his nose slightly. "I like fish, but it kind of stinks here. How do they put up with that smell everyday? Phew. I bet they eat a lot of fish."

"It looks like the people here are into fishing for their food." Jenna watched a man leaning over the river with a net. A couple of fish had managed to hop into the net and end up trapped. "I guess this wouldn't be a bad place to live if you really liked seafood and nothing else."

"Well, why don't we try some of their fish? It must be around lunchtime now," Felix suggested. The smell of fish was actually quite appetising despite being so strong and his stomach was already feeling empty. Everyone else decided they would also like to eat Champa's fish for lunch and soon enough, the Adepts were sitting on one of the grassy hills overlooking the town with plates of freshly cooked fish in their laps. The fish was quite tasty and not a single scrap was left uneaten. Once the meals were finished, their bellies were full and they felt content to spend some time relaxing in the pleasant coastal town.

Felix chose to spend the newly gained leisure time watching the people of Champa from his spot upon the hill, resting on his belly and propping himself up with his elbows. There was not much to see in this small town, apart from villagers fishing. They would usually just dip nets into the sea and drag them back up, trying again until they had plenty of fish. He glanced away from the river toward the mountain which overlooked Champa, and noticed that there appeared to be a settlement in there as well. Two people had just come out, a young woman with brown hair tied with yellow ribbons and an infant with an untidy mop of red hair.

Isaac was leaning against a tree, a ray of sunlight shining upon the particular spot where he sat, and smiling blissfully as he was feeling snug and warm. He was becoming drowsy from the heat and being full of fish. Since everybody was just relaxing, he might as well do the same. Isaac yawned and slumped against the soft bark, drifting in and out of sleep. Mia soon came to rest by the same tree, having nothing better to do, but rather than drift off to sleep like Isaac, she drifted off into her thoughts instead.

Garet lay flat on his back, arms crossed behind his head as he gazed up at the clear sky. There was hardly a cloud to be seen. It really was a great day to just relax for a while in a quiet little town. He sighed in contentment, wishing that this moment would last forever. Jenna sat nearby, gazing at the rushing waterfall and listening to the calming sound of the gushing water. She loved how peaceful and calm everything was. It definitely seemed like an enjoyable place to live.

Garet turned his head, gazing at Jenna with a thoughtful expression as something occurred to him. "Hey... Mask..." Jenna turned her stare away from the waterfall toward him. "I was just wondering about something..."

"Really? What is it?" Jenna asked curiously, leaning back and propping herself up with her arms as she met his gaze.

"Well, you were a slave in Prox for a while, huh?" Garet paused, looking uncertain. "They put all the slaves together, right?" Jenna nodded in response, wondering where he was going with this conversation. "So you must have known some of the other slaves, right? You made some friends there, didn't you?"

Jenna hesitated. Now she was realising where he was beginning to go with the conversation. Perhaps he would ask if she knew anyone else from Vale out of curiosity and wanting to know how the kidnapped people were. It was understandable and now that she thought about it, it was surprising she hadn't been asked before. "Well, you know... after I lost my memory, I kind of didn't want to talk to people very much."

"Really?" Garet looked faintly surprised at that. "You just don't seem to be the unsociable type. I figured you'd be, I don't know, a popular person or something and you would get on well with people."

"Oh... well, I'm not stuck in a depressing city being forced to do work for people anymore. Maybe that's why," Jenna said uncomfortably. It was almost true she hadn't been so sociable since losing her memory, but only because of the memory loss and the fact everyone was trying so hard to help her, in the end she had just got fed up with it and tried avoiding them.

"So... I guess you don't know anyone from Vale, then... you would probably have told us if you did, right?" Garet shook his head. "Sorry about that. I really miss them, especially my older sister and Jenna. Felix's sister. She used to hang out with me, Isaac, and Felix all the time when we were young..."

Jenna sighed and looked away guiltily. She hated having to lie like this, even though it had been her own choice. Now she wasn't so sure that it had been such a good choice in the first place. It wouldn't have been so bad just telling them, would it? Even if she had got so sick of everyone trying to force her to remember her past...

"I hardly even remember what she looks like anymore..." Garet murmured. Jenna looked dryly at him, though he didn't notice her glance. "I'm sure she was real cute though."

"Uh... really?" Jenna bit down on her bottom lip, her face flushing. She turned away, not wanting him to see her suddenly go red.

"She was pretty violent sometimes and would get mad at me really easily..." Garet said quietly, staring up at the sky as he spoke, remembering the long ago past. "I guess I got on her nerves a lot, but she could still be sweet when she was in a good mood. You know what's funny? I haven't seen her in... about eight years, but I think I love her. She's the girl of my dreams."

Jenna abruptly stood, her face growing rapidly hotter. She couldn't stand to listen to Garet going on like this anymore. For some reason, her eyes were stinging. "I... I'm sorry, I need to go get a drink or something. I'll be back in a minute." Before Garet could say anything, she was hurrying toward the bottom of the cliff.

Mia caught sight of Jenna's expression as she ran past and quickly got up, looking concerned. Had Garet said something that upset her? She decided it would be a good idea to go and see if Jenna needed comforting and hurried after her. Mia accidentally trod on Isaac's foot as she walked past him and hastily apologised as he was pulled out of his peaceful slumber, continuing to go after Jenna.

Isaac slowly got up in surprise, wondering what was going on. He walked in the direction they had both gone, curiosity leading him on. It probably wasn't right to eavesdrop on a conversation between girls, but something seemed to be bothering them.

Jenna came to a stop below the cliff and leaned against the wall, shaking as she wrapped her arms around herself. She couldn't believe she'd just heard a confession of love directed at her... accidentally, because Garet didn't have any idea who she was. Why had she gone with this whole anonymity thing? It would have been better just to tell the whole truth way back then. Tears began slowly dripping down her cheeks.

"Jenna, what's wrong?" Mia approached her. "Why are you crying?"

"I'm so sick of this!" Jenna burst out, gritting her teeth. "Of being treated like an outsider that they just met a few days ago. It's so hard to pretend that I'm just... nobody they even knew before."

"That was your own decision, wasn't it?" Mia asked. "To disguise yourself and not tell them the truth about your identity... that was what you decided to do."

"I'm not sure it was such a good idea now..." Jenna murmured, shaking her head and sighing heavily. "It's just... I was so tired of everyone trying to force me to get my memories back, when it wasn't helping... when I heard those three were from Vale too, I was sure if I told them the truth, it would just start all over again. I just wanted a break, until I could recover my memories in my own time."

"Well, I never really thought it was the right thing to do. They must really miss you," Mia said cautiously, hoping she wouldn't offend her. "But I respected your decision and never said anything to them. So, you're having second thoughts now?"

"Yeah. I've been having them for a while... it kind of hurts, even small things like saying they are from Vale, but I'm left out of it, because of course they have no idea who I am," Jenna burst out. "They aren't doing it on purpose, I know, but it hurts. And Garet... he..."

"What did Garet say?" Mia asked, her eyes widening. So it had been something to do with him after all.

"He just said he loved me," Jenna replied, sounding slightly bitter.

Mia was silent, unsure of what she should say to that. "Uh... what do you mean?"

"What I mean is that he's in love with the girl from his past, who was sitting right next to him as he said it, and he didn't even realise," Jenna said flatly. "And I..." She bowed her head, tensing. "I think that I have feelings for him."

"Well, that's good, isn't it?" Mia asked uncertainly. "Garet likes you, you like him. All you have to do is start telling the truth. He'll probably be a bit embarassed if he realises what he did, but..."

"Mia is right," said a voice from behind the two. "It's time you started telling the truth." The two turned around in surprise to see Isaac standing there.

* * *

As Sheba walked into Prox, flanked by the Proxian warriors, she was immediately taken aback by the sheer size of the city. It appeared so grand and rich, they probably had everything they needed, and that very thought led Sheba to wonder exactly why they might need even more things. What could this thing be that would possibly affect the world? The young Jupiter Adept hardly dared ask though. These warriors, even if some of them were friendly, looked frightening to her. 

Sheba was led through the city and taken into the palace. As she was escorted through the hallways by Puelle and a second warrior, she admired the d?or, the gilt carpets, the tapestries that hung by yellow cords wrapped around hooks buried deep in the walls, elaborate tracings decorating their surfaces. Chandeliers hung from the ceilings and torches shone bright, protruding from the walls, casting a soft light on her surroundings. She was led to the wide mahogany doors and thrust forwards into the throne room, Puelle closing the doors behind them.

Saturos, Menardi and Agatio were all present in the throne room, two of them standing in the centre of the room. Saturos was holding a ring of what looked to be brass or gold in his hands and examining it curiously, Agatio appeared to have been about to say something but was broken off upon Puelle and Sheba's entry and Menardi was at the edge of the room, intently studying a portrait hanging on the wall. She looked up however when the doors closed shut.

"Lord Saturos, I have returned from the mission and it proved to be a success," Puelle announced, gently pushing Sheba forward and nodding his head at her. He then stepped back to quietly watch.

"It is good to see you back, Puelle. I'm glad that I have some competent soldiers who are capable of succeeding in their missions, unlike some people. But, enough of that." Saturos stepped forward, scrutinising Sheba carefully. Sheba stared back, trying not to seem cowed by his penetrating gaze. "So, I take it this girl one of the famed Jupiter Adepts from Contigo."

"She's just a little girl!" Menardi exclaimed, striding over to stand next to Saturos and eyeing Sheba critically. "Can a little girl like her really be capable of fighting? Hey, how old are you?"

"I am fourteen," Sheba replied indignantly, her eyes narrowing. She didn't like being called a little girl one bit. However, she knew better than to rile the woman up considering she was holding a dangerous looking sickle, so she spoke more calmly as she continued speaking. "My name is Sheba and I am one of the most powerful Jupiter Adepts from Contigo, in Atteka."

"Oh, fourteen?" Menardi raised an eyebrow. "I thought you were a little younger than that, but if you say so. It's still rather young, but we have people here who begin training even younger than that, so I'll try not to underestimate you."

"She can't be that bad at that age anyway." Saturos glanced at Menardi. "After all, we were thirteen when we started training and we were actually quite good. So, I think Sheba will be able to do what we ask of her." He looked down at the gold band he held, running his fingers over the smooth metal. "So, Sheba, do you like what you have seen of Prox so far?"

"I think it is quite an impressive city," Sheba said guardedly. "I have never seen a place as big as this before and it's quite beautiful too, I think. I'd like to know, what am I doing here so far away from home? Are you the ruler of Prox?"

"That is correct. I am Saturos, the ruler of this city," Saturos replied, looking proud as he announced his status. He had worked hard for this position after all and was happy to have it. "This is Menardi, my sole equal when it comes to the mightiest of the Fire Clan's warriors, and this is Agatio, another fine warrior. Now, as for the matter of why you are here..."

"What is with all the small talk?" Agatio asked, sounding somewhat impatient. "All I want to see is if the circlet works, since I spent so long working on it. Making something like that isn't easy, you know."

"Please try to be patient, Agatio," Saturos asked firmly, silencing the irritated Mars Adept. "The least we can do is try and make our guest feel safe while she is here." He raised the circlet slightly, gazing intently at Sheba. "Have you told her what will happen, Puelle?"

Puelle cleared his throat before he spoke. "Well, I did tell her that we urgently needed one of the best Jupiter Adepts in order to help us attain a certain item, and that said item would have an impact upon the world's fate. She willingly agreed to come along with us and did not ask about anything else. We were careful not to say too much."

"Very good, Puelle." Saturos stepped toward Sheba. "Now, Sheba, I have a little gift here for you. This here is a very special circlet that has been specially made." He glanced down at the golden hoop he held onto. "Agatio spent a very long time working on this and would not like to see it go to waste."

"Eh?" Sheba stared dubiously at the circlet, feeling somewhat confused. She had been taken across the sea to this strange city and now they were offering her a gift? "So, you want me to wear that circlet? Why would someone take me out of my home and then ask me to wear jewellery?" It didn't make any sense.

"He isn't asking you to wear it, he's telling you to wear it!" Menardi exclaimed, then she realised she might have been a bit harsh especially as a flicker of fear passed over Sheba's face. Menardi promptly put on the friendliest smile she could muster. "I'm sorry I shouted, I'm just a little stressed. Please, wear it for Agatio, he would be very disappointed if you didn't."

"Okay, I'll wear it then," Sheba complied uncertainly. Something just did not seem right about this so called gift. Perhaps the circlet was something more than just a piece of jewellery. Could it be a piece of armour? Or something else? She couldn't imagine though what some gold trinket worn around the head was capable of, so maybe there was nothing to worry about and she could wear it.

"Wise choice. I assure you, you will love this gift." Saturos beckoned and Sheba stepped closer. She took a deep breath and held it in as he reached over and slipped the band of gold smoothly onto her head. It fitted snugly around her head as he gently pushed it down, ensuring it wouldn't easily fall off. Sheba relaxed, expelling a lungful of air, while Saturos stepped away to inspect his handiwork. The other Proxians were looking on expectantly, waiting for something to happen.

Sheba was relieved as it seemed that nothing was happening, it was probably just some ordinary gift and nothing was wrong. However, she couldn't help but wonder why everyone in the room was looking at her so strangely. The Jupiter Adept sensed a presence moving into her mind, like a wisp of smoke slipping inside her head, and she moved as if to reach up and remove her circlet but something arrested her movement. The presence in her mind was now a thick fog blotting her out and surrendering her to the will of whoever commanded her, turning her into a meek slave incapable of free will. Her pupils disappeared in an ocean of green and her expression was blank, devoid of any emotion.

"It appears to have worked," Saturos said smugly, smiling at the child who stood stiffly, not moving or even looking at anything as she stared blankly ahead. "So now Sheba appears to be fully under our control, we have one of the most powerful Jupiter Adepts doing whatever we tell her to do."

"Wow, does that mean she will even pick her nose if we ask her?" Menardi asked brightly, stepping forwards and poking Sheba in the arm, testing for some reaction. Sheba did not even react to the touch, still staring straight ahead.

"I suppose she would but I would rather not ask her to do that, that's just disgusting." Saturos grimaced. "Well, Agatio, you certainly have done a very good job with making that circlet, it actually put her under our control."

"Yes, and that's not all!!" Agatio exclaimed, his words tumbling over each other as they came out of his mouth in an excited rush. "The circlet not only controls her, but it multiples her power by tenfold so whatever she was capable of before, she will be capable of even more now! Why, she should even be able to teleport!"

"How convenient," Menardi murmured, tossing her long blonde hair back over her shoulders. "She will do anything you ask her, clean the dishes, sweep the palace, lick your boots. An adoring slave to bend to your will. Though we already have plenty of slaves who will do what we say, only because they are so scared of us."

"Now, listen carefully," Saturos spoke to Sheba who raised her head and stared at him though her pupil-less eyes. "What we want you to do is to find a group, I believe there were about five Adepts in the group and they may be carrying items of importance with them. These are called the Teardrops of Luna. You must claim the Teardrops, no matter what, and come back to Prox immediately." Sheba nodded and turned away, walking past Puelle and out of the throne room, the doors slamming behind her.

"That circlet must be really something if she knows her way out of the palace by now," Puelle commented in surprise, staring at the place where Sheba had stood before walking past the doors. He then turned back to look at the other Proxians. "What exactly are we seeking these Teardrops for anyway?"

"Well, they are special, aren't they?" Saturos asked simply as if that explained it all. "What other reason do we really need? Now all we really need to do is hope that those Adepts really are searching for the Teardrops or already have them. I bet they would be, after that idiot boy tried to capture the princess and failed in the process. They will be wanting to keep safe from us and will just get the Teardrops to keep the treasures safe from us as well. Funny how it works, isn't it? They just do it themselves so we don't have to force anyone to, so we'll get them anyway."

"Can we make more of those circlets?" Menardi asked sweetly, putting on an innocent, angelic expression. She flashed a winning smile at Agatio. "I would really like to have one of those."

"Yeah right." Agatio threw a disturbed look at the female Mars Adept. "I know what you would do if I gave you one, you would start controlling half of Prox to do your bidding! Besides, I don't have any more of them and I don't have the patience to make any more."

* * *

"Isaac?" Jenna's eyes widened in surprise. She hadn't been aware of his presence, and neither had Mia. "So, you overheard what we were talking about just now?" 

Mia stepped back, deciding it would be better to stay out of this conversation. Jenna would surely be coming out with the truth now, especially since it seemed Isaac was aware of her identity.

"Well, all I really heard was stuff about you liking Garet and telling the truth about something, but it really is becoming pretty obvious who you are..." Isaac gazed at the ground with a slightly pensive expression. "You were a slave in Prox, you are a Mars Adept, you mentioned other people at one point though I think that was an accidental slip-up on your part... and, that song you sang last night... I thought it was somewhat familiar, and so did Felix."

"So... I guess you kind of already knew then," Jenna said softly. "You're better at it than Garet is."

"I can't believe he saw your face, was reminded of your mother and didn't cotton on." Isaac shook his head. "Garet can be a bit slow at times, but that had to take the cake. Yeah, he told me about that. Just another clue."

"And you like him?" Mia couldn't help shooting a somewhat despairing look at Jenna.

"Hey, he might not be terribly bright, but he's sweet and funny," Jenna protested, blushing. "Anyway, this isn't the time for talking about that. Isaac... you should understand why I lied in the first place." She reached up and took away her eye goggles, looking sadly at him.

"You really do have amnesia, don't you?" Isaac asked.

"Of course I do!" Jenna exclaimed, looking slightly frustrated. "If I had my memories intact, I wouldn't have been hiding my identity. It's kind of complicated, but... I can't remember anything. I can't remember Vale... my parents... or you, Felix, Garet... I don't remember a single moment that wasn't in Prox."

"But you knew where you were from and who you were after all..." Isaac guessed.

"Well, yeah, everyone else from Vale were willing to try and help me get over my amnesia, but it just didn't work," Jenna muttered, shaking her head. "I would get so frustrated trying to remember everything they were telling me, I just got fed up in the end and ended up tuning them out. I decided I would wait for my memories to return in my own time. That was why... when I heard you were from Vale, I lied, so that I could still be able to do it alone. But... it was harder than I thought. Now I wish I'd just told the truth in the first place."

"I knew about her identity the whole time," Mia cut in. "She told me her name when rescuing me, but since she didn't want you all to know, I respected her decision. It didn't necessarily mean I thought it was the right one though."

"Well... at least you're finally ready to tell us, Jenna." Isaac smiled and stepped over, pulling her into a hug. Jenna let out a sniff as she hugged back. "We really missed you a lot, you know. It wasn't the same when Prox took you away."

"Why... why did we have to wait so long?" Jenna asked as they pulled apart, biting her lower lip. "It was eight years before anyone even tried, and look what happened there. Even the five of us had trouble taking down one Proxian."

"There was nobody in the village who could stand up to those people, and Felix, Garet and I spent all those years training for that day we would come and save you all," Isaac explained. "It was awful, waiting for so long, but we were still too young to do anything after all."

"Well..." Jenna wiped her eyes and sighed. "If that's the case, then I can understand why, but it wasn't so great being a slave for eight years. I should go and tell Garet and Felix... Garet's going to be mortified..." She smiled slightly. "I should try not to tease him too much."

Before anyone else could speak or do anything, a bolt of lightning struck the ground a few metres away. Isaac, Mia and Jenna turned in shock to see a blonde girl standing there, looking at them with threatening eyes.

"Are you in a group of five?" the girl asked loudly.

"Yes, we are," Isaac replied, watching her guardedly. What was going on?

"If you have the Teardrops of Luna, then hand them over right now or we'll have to battle," Sheba demanded. The wind blew sharply past her, tousling her hair and tugging at her clothes as she faced them.


	22. Chapter 22

**Vision**

* * *

This is a good chapter. Interesting stuff happens. 

Camelot owns Golden Sun.

* * *

"I repeat, if you have the Teardrops of Luna with you, then hand them over immediately," Sheba said flatly, her voice devoid of emotion. Her face was entirely blank. Only her eyes betrayed the threat that she posed to the group, hard eyes of a person ready to attack at a momen's notice. "Or I will have to take them by force." 

"Just who are you?" Mia asked in surprise, staring at her. Just who was this young girl who had turned up out of nowhere and was aware of Luna's Tears? She certainly did not look like a Proxian, so that couldn't be it. But who else knew about the Teardrops of Luna? "You aren't from Prox, are you?"

"She doesn't look like she's a Proxian to me, but if they captured her and are using her, then it makes sense," Jenna said, looking guardedly at the girl. "She looks awfully young though. Is she supposed to be a threat?"

"Well, that lightning bolt we just saw looked pretty nasty. I wouldn't like to get hit by her lightning attacks, if they are that fierce," Isaac spoke up. "It's important not to underestimate the enemy, you know, they might have a surprise or two up their sleeve."

"I take it that by your reluctance to answer to me, you have the Teardrops of Luna, but you are unwilling to hand them over to me, is that correct?" Sheba asked coldly.

"We aren't ever going to hand over the Teardrops of Luna to Prox!" Mia exclaimed. "Hold on, Prox already knows about... hmm. It must have been because of Alex telling me everything. Perhaps if he told the people in Prox, they must have figured out that we would go to get them ourselves and protect them from the Proxians."

"Then we will have to do battle," Sheba declared, glowing faintly. Small bolts of lightning crashed around her in a threatening matter and she lowered her head, not looking at all nervous about attacking them head on. She was obviously determined to take them down, no matter how difficult it proved to be. "I will take the Teardrops of Luna from you once I defeat you all."

"It looks like we're going to be drawn into a battle now. Better hurry and call Garet and Felix down," Jenna said. She glanced down at the mask and then put it on. Upon noticing Isaac's questioning glance, she sighed. "Now isn't the time for revelations, is it? I'll keep it off and explain things when this battle is over."

Isaac wordlessly nodded and hurried toward the slope, running up it and calling for Garet and Felix to hurry on down. Mia and Jenna cautiously watched Sheba, who calmly waited until the other two Adepts had come down and they were all grouped together, ready to fight the oncoming battle.

"There's something strange about her, isn't there?" Mia noticed, frowning as she thought about how Sheba had been speaking. "She speaks very properly for a girl her age, I think, and her eyes are so strange. There are no pupils in her eyes. That can't be normal, can it?"

"Uh, what exactly is going on here?" Garet stared at the short, blonde girl. "Who is this girl and why does she look like she wants to kill us?"

"We don't really know who she is," Isaac said, pulling out his weapon. "She came out of nowhere, saying she would fight us to take the Teardrops from us. That's all she's said so far. I think Prox is behind this."

"Well, we aren't going to hand them over so easily, no matter what Prox tries to pull," Felix said determinedly. "If she wants to fight us, then we will fight. But why are they using this young girl? Is there something special about her?"

"Before you battle us, will you at least tell us who you are? Where have you come from?" Jenna asked. Something was definitely strange about the girl standing before them. She seemed to be under some kind of control. Could it be that Prox had captured her and done something strange to her? They had to be manipulating her to do their bidding, so that she would take Luna's Tears to them.

"My name is Sheba," Sheba answered, taking a step forwards and holding up a hand. Her fingers crackled with electricity and her mouth twitched in what was almost a smirk. "My mission is to retrieve the Teardrops of Luna on the orders of Lord Saturos of Prox and I do not intend to fail, so I must battle and defeat you."

"Why are you working for Prox?" Isaac exclaimed. "Don't you realise that the Proxians are bad people who will stop at nothing to get what they want? A young girl like you shouldn't be doing their dirty work."

"I think she might be controlled," Mia said urgently. "Her eyes are completely blank, see? If we can find out what's controlling her and get rid of it, then it might work. So, let's try to figure out what is doing this to her and save her from their control."

"We probably shouldn't go too hard on her," Felix said cautiously. "A young girl like her might get easily hurt, so let's be careful, okay?"

Sheba overheard him and her forehead furrowed slightly in annoyance. "So you are taking me for a mere weakling? I will teach you not to underestimate me!" She flung her hand out, facing Felix. "Storm Ray!"

An ominous roll of thunder sounded overhead and Felix exclaimed in surprise as a flurry of crackling white lightning bolts rained down from the sky, dancing crazily around him and some striking him as well. Fortunately he was not too badly hurt, just slightly singed in some places and now looking somewhat ashamed to have thought Sheba was just an ordinary girl. She certainly was an Adept, and apparently a powerful one at that.

"Whoah, I've never seen Psynergy like that before, with all that lightning and stuff." Garet edged cautiously around the Jupiter Adept, holding up his axe warily as he watched her. "If we've got Earth and Fire and a Water Adept, does that make her a Wind Adept?"

"Looks like it. I just hope we can at least figure out what's controlling her before she fries us all to a crisp. That lightning looks painful," Jenna said, gazing intently at Sheba. What could it be that had her in this state? Long range mind control, or even an item? Hopefully, it was an item. That would be so much simpler to get rid of.

"Yikes!" Garet exclaimed as Sheba suddenly flung a lightning bolt in his direction. He jumped aside, narrowly dodging the lightning that crashed beside him. "I guess she's not going to warn us before she attacks."

"How about less conversation and more fighting?" Mia asked somewhat impatiently. "She may be a young girl being controlled, but protecting the Teardrops of Luna is what's important here. We'll have to fight back." As the sun glanced off Sheba's head, something glinted and caught her eye. She noticed a circlet around Sheba's head. It certainly looked very ornate, but the girl wore no other jewellery. Why just the circlet? "That circlet..." Mia said loudly, her eyes widening.

Sheba swung her head towards Mia upon hearing her words and the Mercury Adept sensed a flicker of alarm in the empty green orbs that gazed directly into her eyes. Comprehension dawned on Mia and she barely noticed the movement of Sheba's mouth as she called out her next attack. "Destruct Ray!"

An outbreak of flaring lightning bolts came arcing down towards Mia, striking her one after the other in split second timing, the flashes so quick and brief that nobody could count the rapid jagged bolts that rained down on the Mercurian. Electricity coursed through her body and she screamed out in pain, silhouetted in the blinding light that resulted from the powerful lightning psynergy, a dark shape that stood rigid as it tried to withstand the shock then slowly crumpled up and fell to the ground as the electricity dissipated.

"It's the... circlet..." Mia gasped out in a desperate effort, her eyes sliding shut. She went limp, knocked into unconsciousness by the powerful blow of lightning that had struck her head on.

"Mia!" Isaac cried out in shock, the colour draining from his face. He rushed to the fallen Mercury Adept's side and checked her vital signs, his pulse racing in anxiety. The Venus Adept sighed in relief as he found a steadily beating pulse and ascertained that Mia was simply unconscious. Even standing a few metres away, Isaac had sensed the power of the electricity coursing through Mia, and it had felt extremely intense from where he was so it must have been much worse for her.

"Mia said that it was the circlet, didn't she?" Jenna noticed the gold band that sat snugly upon Sheba's head. "There it is, on her head... that's got to be what's controlling her. If we can remove it, then she'll stop."

Sheba was now looking around warily, a cold expression on her face as she slowly and deliberately selected her next target, wondering who she should pick to attack next. Then she began to glow brightly with Psynergy, her eyes fixed on Jenna, and she flung a lightning attack toward her. Jenna had been expecting it and jumped back, gasping in pain as some stray bolts of lightning singed her arm and leg. She put a hand over her burned arm, gritting her teeth. Sheba's lightning was quite formidable.

"Alright then! Let's get that circlet off her!" Garet exclaimed in determination, breaking into a run toward the Jupiter Adept. He was quickly cut short as he found himself stalled by another Psynergetic attack. Garet backed away from the flare of electric light that exploded in front of him, looking displeased. "Okay, so maybe it isn't that easy. Sheba doesn't want the circlet taken off, so she's just going to shock us into oblivion if we try."

"Perhaps we should throw long range Psynergy at her to try and weaken her first?" Felix suggested tentatively, keeping his distance from Sheba. He did not want to get hit by any more of her destructive lightning attacks. "Or rather, not directly at Sheba, but at the circlet. If we keep doing that, then we should be able to break the circlet and if Mia was correct, then Sheba will be freed from Prox's control!" More electricity was flung at Felix but fortunately it did not reach far enough to hit him.

"Well, what kind of Psynergy should we use?" Isaac asked desperately, remaining by Mia's side. He was going to protect her in case Sheba decided to target her again despite her being unconscious and unable to do anything else. "There are only Mars and Venus Adepts now... fire could scorch Sheba and even hurt her... as for Venus attacks, well... Spire and Gaia don't sound good and Quake sounds even more useless!"

"I don't see any way that we can hit just the circlet and not risk hurting her. It's sitting right on her head," Jenna said, sounding slightly frustrated. "Maybe we will have to hurt her, just not too much. It's not really her fault, is it?"

"Maybe if we just all attack her at once?" Garet suggested. "What if we came from different directions? It should distract her and that might be enough for someone to reach her and take it off."

"That's a good idea." Isaac glanced at Mia, looking worried. He didn't want to see anybody else go through what Mia had. Clearly, Mia had been in so much pain when she was hit by that devastating attack. Still, if they wanted to get to her and remove that circlet, they would have to risk it and try to withstand her fierce attacks. "But we'll have to be careful. You saw what she did to Mia."

"Let's try it then. Everyone surround her, but stay as far apart from each other as you can and then rush at her and try to remove her circlet," Felix ordered. "Got it?" Everyone nodded in understanding. "Great. Let's try it now."

The four Adepts then spread out, backing away from Sheba as they began to circle around her, keeping their distance. Sheba spun around valiantly, trying to strike down the four people who came onto her from four different directions. If she so much as turned her back to one of them, then the other three would get closer and she would have to knock them back. only for the first person to gain on her. One of them was particularly slow, yet she could not ignore him because he would reach her without much difficulty. It was hard to concentrate on using multi-target Psynergy as well, because the targets were so far apart that it would not work.

In all this confusion, it did not take long for Sheba to find herself pinned to the ground with the redhaired girl on top of her. Sheba desperately struggled in an effort to get free, but Jenna was simply too strong. As Sheba began to weaken under her hold, she swiftly reached out and pulled the circlet right off Sheba's head, tossing it aside where it rolled over a patch of bare ground and came to rest upon a mound of grass.

A jolt of pain flashed through Sheba's mind and sent her crashing back into reality as her hazy, sleeping mind once more awoke, now fully in control. Her pupils widened into visibility and she sighed in relief as she once more had free will. Sheba felt strangely weaker as if her strength was rapidly ebbing away. This was due to her power decreasing back to its normal level now that the circlet had been taken off.

"Are you okay?" Jenna asked in concern, moving off her as she noticed that Sheba's eyes were looking normal now. Evidently, that circlet had indeed been what was making her fight them. "You aren't going to fight us anymore, are you?"

"Fight?" Sheba looked at the unfamiliar masked girl, feeling dazed. What had been happening? The last thing she could remember was being in a city, surrounded by red-eyed, pointy-eared people. Yet, none of those people were here, and she wasn't even in the city anymore by the look of this place. "Huh... where am I?" she asked, looking around in confusion. It was much warmer here too. She had to be pretty far away from Prox.

"You are in Champa," Jenna replied, getting to her feet. Isaac, Garet and Felix walked over, looking concernedly at the younger girl who stared back at them warily. "It's a coastal town in eastern Angara. But are you feeling okay?"

"Uh... I guess I feel fine..." Sheba weakly got to her feet and shook her head, trying to get rid of the foggy feeling in her head. She felt as if she had just woken up after sleeping for several days, and now there was the added confusion of having no idea of what had just happened. "I'm... not hurt or anything... just really confused."

"Well, it's good to see that you're okay, Sheba," Isaac said. "It was quite worrying when you came out of nowhere and we had to figure out how to save you from your predicament."

"How do you know my name?" Sheba asked, looking at Isaac in a startled manner. She had never seen these people before, so how could they possibly know who she was?

"Uh, you told us," Jenna said, looking puzzled. It was becoming apparent now that Sheba really had no idea what was going on. No wonder she was looking so confused after all. They would just have to explain everything to her.

"So, she doesn't know what just happened?" Garet looked perplexed as he tried to figure it out. "That's weird... how does that work anyway? And how was a circlet supposed to control her anyway? It's really weird, isn't it?"

"There must have been some strange kind of magic in it," Felix guessed. "I've certainly never seen anything like that before. What kind of strange things are Prox capable of doing?"

Isaac looked over at Mia, who was still lying unconscious on the grass. He anxiously walked over and kneeled next to her, brushing some of her tousled hair back from her face. How long would it be before Mia recovered? Isaac hoped that it wouldn't be too long and that Mia would be alright.

Sheba turned to look at the two on the ground, her gaze fixing on the unconscious girl. Her clothes seemed partially singed and her hair sticking up slightly, as if she had been hit by an electric shock. It occured to Sheba what that meant and she gasped in shock. "I didn't do that to her, did I?"

"It wasn't your fault," Isaac said gently, throwing her a reassuring smile, though he couldn't hide the concern etched on his face. "You were being controlled by the circlet, after all. I'm sure you didn't know what you were doing the whole time. She just got a bit unlucky and was hit directly by an attack."

"The people of Prox put that circlet on you, right?" Felix asked. Sheba looked at him, her eyes widening at the mention of that city, and she nodded. "Yeah, that's what we thought. They were controlling you with that circlet and using you to try and get something they wanted."

"Prox tricked me," Sheba said angrily, clenching her fists as she remembered how she had been offered a gift, only for it to absorb her mind completely and turn her into some mindless slave for those Proxians. "That man told me it was nothing more than a gift and put that circlet on my head. I can't remember anything after that. I had no idea what it would do to me. I had no choice though. Those soldiers would have taken me from home by force if they had to, so I went with them to that city."

"Prox kidnapped you, huh?" Garet asked, frowning. How could Prox keep kidnapping people like this? It was awful. "Where are you from?"

"I am from the town of Contigo," Sheba answered briskly. "It is in Atteka, a continent on the Western Sea."

"The Great Western Sea... well, that's quite a while away, but it won't be any trouble for us to sail you back there. We can get you back home easily enough," Felix assured her. "You are a Jupiter Adept, aren't you?"

"That's correct," Sheba replied. "I guess they wanted me for my powers. I am one of the strongest Jupiter Adepts in Contigo, though I might not look like it. I am pretty young after all. So, you can take me back home? Really?"

"Of course. We won't let Prox get away with kidnapping people and we have our own ship," Jenna replied. "We have business of our own with Prox too. They are trying to take something very precious from us, which you attempted to take under their control actually, and we can't let Prox have it or else they will use it for evil. We're trying to keep our distance from that place but we'll take you home, right, everyone?"

"Yeah, I don't have a problem with that," Garet spoke up. "We'll take her back home and teach those stupid Proxians a lesson."

"Nobody from Prox came with you, did they?" Felix asked cautiously. "How do you think that you got here? It would be a two day journey by ship."

"It doesn't feel like very long ago they put the circlet on me, so I definitely don't think two days have passed. I guess it wasn't by ship," Sheba replied slowly. She really couldn't remember a thing from during her possession, no matter how hard she tried. "But I think that circlet must have increased my power, because I remember feeling much weaker after it was taken off. If that's the case and my power was really increased by so much, I might even have been able to teleport."

"You teleported across the world?" Garet exclaimed in shock. "Whoah... that's a really cool power to have, isn't it? But you can't teleport normally?"

"No, though I may be able to some time in the future," Sheba responded. "To think that I was actually able to teleport all the way here... my power must have been tremendously magnified. I suppose you all had a hard time trying to deal with me." She hung her head, looking slightly guilty.

"Hey, it wasn't your fault at all. There's no need to feel so guilty," Jenna spoke up, trying to lift her spirits. "You live on Atteka, then? Do other Jupiter Adepts live with you there? I don't think I've seen a Jupiter Adept before."

"There are some people who can use Wind Psynergy to a degree in Contigo," Sheba answered. "But three of us are fully fledged, powerful Jupiter Adepts. The oldest of us is able to teleport herself. When the Proxians came to take me away, the entire town was deserted. I had been left alone. I think the people of Contigo must have hidden in order to protect themselves."

"That must have been awful," Garet said, sounding shocked. How could they have so easily offered Sheba to the Proxians like that? "I can't believe they would leave you alone to be taken like that."

"I suppose they had their reasons," Sheba said softly, a pensive expression on her face. "When I go back home, I am sure they will explain everything to me and it will all make sense."

"Ohh..." Mia moaned, twitching slightly. Her forehead creased in a tiny frown and she slowly opened her eyes. "I feel like I was hit with a sledgehammer."

"Mia, you're awake!" Isaac smiled in relief as the Water Adept struggled into a sitting position and looked around blearily.

"I'm so sorry for what I did to you!" Sheba rushed to kneel in front of Mia, looking truly apologetic. "I was under the control of the circlet and-"

"I know." Mia cut off the younger girl with a gentle smile. "I am glad to see you've been released from the control now, Sheba."

"Hey," Garet spoke up, holding aloft the circlet which he had picked up from the ground and was now examining curiously. "What should we do with this thing?"

"Just destroy it," Isaac replied, turning back to Mia and healing the worst of her injuries with his curative Psynergy. "Something as evil as that shouldn't exist. We can't risk anyone else picking it up and using it."

"Alright then." Garet tossed the circlet away onto the ground and concentrated on casting Eruption on it. The gold band was devoured in showers of racing flames that soared up into the sky and faded away, leaving charred, broken lumps of gold behind.

"Are you feeling better now?" Isaac asked Mia anxiously. Mia simply nodded, smiling. Isaac's healing power had helped her a lot.

"Well, I think we're done relaxing here," Felix spoke up. "It might be good to get Sheba back home as soon as we can, so that we can concentrate on what we're meant to be doing. Nobody has any problems with sailing again so soon?"

"I guess it can't really be helped," Jenna muttered. She had been looking forward to sleeping in a nice, comfortable bed on land, but that didn't look like it would be reality any time soon.

"Well, if we have to..." Garet shrugged. "I don't have any problems with it. We've had our break."

"Let's get to the ship then," Isaac said, standing and helping Mia to her feet. "It's time we take Sheba back home, right? She can't get back the way she came so it's only fair we help her."

Sheba looked around, biting her lower lip. Even after she'd been controlled and attacked them, these people were helping her and returning her home. She could hardly believe it. "Thank you so much!" she burst out, hanging her head slightly. "I'm sorry to have brought you all so much trouble and yet you would all help me despite this. I wish I could repay the favour somehow."

"Don't worry about it," Isaac assured her. "Prox is to blame for all this, not you."

"One day, we'll make them pay for everything," Mia murmured, clenching a fist. "All the wrongs they have done... I long to see that day come to pass."

The people of Champa had been watching in shocked rapture and surprise during the entire battle, though they didn't understand what was going on. As the group of unfamiliar people then walked out of the village, they all breathed a collective sigh of relief, hoping that would be the only thing to disturb their peace for a while.

* * *

Now everyone was standing in a group on the deck of the ship, prepared for the journey ahead of them toward Atteka. Felix stood by the tiller, checking the map quickly to remind himself exactly where to go. Sheba looked around in amazement, clearly impressed with their ship. Isaac glanced over at Jenna, who stared intently at her feet with an awkward expression. 

"Hey, "Mask", you think it might be a good time to talk about that?" Isaac asked.

Jenna looked up sharply. "Uh... yeah. I just want to get it out of the way now." She drew in a deep breath.

Mia understood what was about to take place and decided it would be better if the four were alone. "Hey, Sheba." The Jupiter Adept turned to her with a questioning look. "Are you hungry? Why don't we go inside and see if I can fix you up something to eat."

"Oh, yeah, I am kind of hungry," Sheba replied, only just realising how hungry she really was. "That would be great."

Garet watched the two walk into the cabin and then turned to Isaac in confusion. "What's going on?"

"Garet... Felix... there is something important I have to tell you both." Jenna swallowed heavily as the two stared at her curiously. "I'm sorry to say that I haven't been entirely honest about myself the whole time."

"What do you mean?" Felix asked, confused.

"It's true that I do have amnesia," Jenna continued speaking. "Since the accident when I was fourteen. But, when I said that I had no idea who I was or where I came from... well, I lied about that."

"So you really do know where you're from?" Garet exclaimed. "Well, that's great, isn't it? You know where you're from so you can go home anytime." Isaac let out an audible groan. Garet frowned at him. "What was that?"

"Nothing." Isaac clamped his mouth shut. Garet didn't seem to be about to get a clue anytime soon, frustrating enough as it was.

"It wasn't right of me to lie... but at the time, I thought it was a good idea," Jenna sighed. "Having amnesia was never easy. It still isn't. Everyone was trying to help me get my memories back, even though it never worked. In the end, it just got so frustrating... I didn't want to go through it all again, so I kept my identity a secret from you all. I wish I hadn't bothered now. I'm sorry..."

Halfway through Jenna's explanation, Felix began to realise where she was going with this. The only reason this would be important to them was if she was from Vale too. If that was the case, then it was obvious that she was...

Garet, on the other hand, still looked somewhat confused. It seemed that she was trying to tell them something important. That she knew who she was after all... that was important to them? Comprehension dawned on him suddenly. She was from Vale then?

"It's time I told the truth from now on." Jenna removed the mask and let it drop to the floor, smiling. "Even if I don't have my memories back, I'm just going to try to be myself."

Felix stared at her face, his mouth hanging open. Relief and shock flooded him. It really was his own sister after all. He was the first to move, approaching her and pulling her into a tight hug. "Thank goodness... you are really alright... I was able to save you after all."

"Felix..." Jenna hugged him back. "I wish I'd just told you sooner... I'm so glad to finally let it all out."

"Jenna...?" Garet stared at her, his eyes widening. So she really was Jenna after all... then, that meant in Champa... his face flooded bright red. "Aw, man, I don't believe it," he murmured to himself, slapping his forehead.

"What's wrong, Garet?" Isaac looked at him. "Aren't you happy that she's with us after all?"

"It's not that... it's just that I said something..." Garet whispered, looking embarassed. "That I kind of wish I hadn't said now."

"Oh... I think I can guess." Isaac smiled. "So, you honestly had no idea about her true identity?"

Garet glanced at him doubtfully. "Well... I thought she reminded me of Jenna a little when I first saw her face, but I didn't want to say anything about that... I guess I should have gone with that."

"Oh. Thank goodness. You aren't completely clueless." Isaac sighed in relief, turning away so that he didn't see Garet's glare of annoyance.

Jenna pulled away from her embrace and then turned to Garet, smiling at him. "Are you going to hug me?" she asked, trying not to sound too awkward. She was still rather embarassed about hearing Garet's accidental confession, especially with the feelings she'd developed for him.

"Uh... yeah, of course!" Garet rushed over to hug her. "I'm really glad to see it's you after all. I did kind of... have an idea it might have been you, but it didn't make any sense for you to not know who you were and everything. Now it does."

"Yeah. Sorry about that." Jenna smiled sheepishly as they drew apart.

"Um, you know, when we had that talk earlier..." Garet hesitated.

Jenna looked at him blankly, though a flush had now crept across her nose and cheeks. "Hm, what talk?"

"You know, that talk in Champa, right?" Garet asked. "When we were sitting together?"

"No, I don't really remember it. I was kind of distracted at the time," Jenna lied, turning away from him awkwardly. "Sorry. Was it important?"

"Oh... well, no, it wasn't really important. It doesn't matter really." Garet quietly sighed in relief.

"Okay then." Jenna smiled, also seeming fairly relieved. She didn't want to get into this matter right now. It was too embarassing to talk about.

"Did I miss something?" Felix asked of Isaac, looking very confused.

Isaac shook his head. "I'm not really sure. I think Garet just said something embarassing back there by the look of things."

* * *

By the next day, the ship came sailing into Atteka Dock. It was well into evening, the sky beginning to take on a reddish glow as the sun dipped towards the horizon. The Adepts walked towards Contigo, Sheba running ahead as she was eager to get back home. As they came closer to the village, Sheba saw Ivan and Hama waiting to greet her and she increased her speed, almost barrelling into the younger of the two. 

"Ivan! I'm so glad to see you." Sheba threw her arms around him and hugged tightly. "You were all so mean, disappearing like that and leaving me to be taken away by Prox! Where were you?"

"We were hiding," Ivan said sheepishly, hugging back. "Hama figured that it was safer, then nobody would try fighting those Proxians and getting hurt. At least you're back and you're safe and well, so that's great."

"Welcome to Contigo," Hama said to the group, a grateful smile gracing her features. "I must thank you for bringing Sheba back safely."

"It was no problem at all," Isaac assured her. "We were only too happy to bring her back home and we wouldn't let anything happen to her."

"I imagine you are all very busy, but would you care to stay the night?" Hama asked.

"We would like to," Felix answered. "Sailing a boat constantly for days really takes it out of you, and I'm the one who has to do it all the time."

"Very well." Hama nodded. "There should be rooms free at the inn for you. But do come to my house later, it is the top one on the hill." She turned and pointed in the direction of her home. "I look forward to meeting you later." The older Jupiter Adept walked away towards the house with Ivan and Sheba following.

"The sacred peaks had better be our next destination," Mia said worriedly as the group walked into Contigo, heading towards the inn. "I'm not sure how many more of these events we can take, with Prox sending people after the Teardrops of Luna... we can't keep sailing around the world for them."

"Yeah. With Sheba, okay, but if a second person or a third person turns up and they also live at the other side of the world? It would get really annoying fast." Jenna frowned. "I just hope these sacred peaks aren't too far away."

Night had fallen by the time the Adepts went to see Hama and they sat in a quiet room in her house, moonlight streaming in and illuminating the interior. Ivan and Sheba were present also, sitting together on a couch covered in worn threadbare material and listening intently. Felix, Isaac, Garet, Jenna and Mia told the tale of their quest. Hama listened carefully, not interrupting anybody as they spoke.

Eventually, the tale was told up to bringing Sheba to Contigo and Hama tutted sympathetically. She could tell that they were carrying a great burden, being so far from home to protect the world and she could see more than they knew as well. Their minds spoke what they could not tell her, Mia's grief over losing her father and being betrayed by Alex that she was normally quiet about, Isaac's occasional insecureness that he tried so hard to cover up and the missing chunk of the other girl's memory that she tried so hard to look for. Hama frowned in sympathy.

"Well." Hama got to her feet. "I imagine you are all very tired and wish to go rest for the night-" On cue, Garet yawned widely and she smiled. "You may go now and I will see you all in the morning as you presumably set off to continue the quest. Good night."

"Good night!" the Adepts sleepily responded, accompanied with more wellwishings for the night from Ivan and Sheba, Sheba tiredly rubbing her eyes. The group trudged out of the house, closing the door behind them and leaving the Jupiter Adepts alone.

"They are nice people, huh?" Sheba smiled sleepily.

"Yeah," Ivan sluggishly got to his feet. "Lucky they were the ones who found you. Other people might not have been so nice as to bring you home."

"Alright you two, it's bedtime," Hama ordered, arms folded across her chest. "I can imagine Sheba can't wait to get to her nice comfy bed, hmm?" Sheba grinned and nodded. "Well, off you go then."

"Can we go on a quest sometime?" Ivan asked hopefully.

"I'll think about it," Hama avoided his gaze, smiling slyly. Who really knew what the future held for everyone?

"Aww," Ivan said jokingly as he walked in the direction of his bedroom. "Seriously, I might be nervous if I left home, I think."

"You would just want to come right back home, I bet." Hama smiled. "Good night."

"Good night." Ivan and Sheba responded, disappearing into their respective rooms. Hama walked over to the curtains and drew them shut, blocking out the moonlight and plunging the room into immediate darkness. She was very relieved that Sheba was back, everybody had been so worried, even she had been worried for Sheba's safety. Sheba was safe now, so hopefully they would no longer have to worry. The only ones who needed to worry were the Adepts who were working so hard to protect the world and keep it out of the grasp of those who tried to claim it.


	23. Chapter 23

**Vision**

* * *

It's time for some interesting developments. I won't spoil them though. 

Camelot owns Golden Sun.

* * *

The next morning, the Adepts found themselves quickly setting off from Atteka, early in the morning. They were on an impending quest and simply could not afford to spend too long in one place, but they had promised to come back sometime. Anxiety was rife in the atmosphere as the Adepts were all too aware of how close they were to Prox. It was only a day's journey away and there was the possible risk of running across one of their ships. For all anyone knew, they could be patrolling the seas and would certainly not hesitate to grab an opportunity to claim the prized Teardrops of Luna. 

"Okay, I've got the general idea of what to do next figured out." Isaac paced up and down the deck with the map in his hands. A light breeze blew past, gently tugging at it as he held on. "We pick out a random mountain on the map and just go there. If it isn't the right one, we should know, shouldn't we?"

"That sounds like an okay plan, but there must be a lot of mountains in Angara alone," Jenna pointed out, frowning slightly. "Are we just going to try the more notable ones, that actually have names? Because it would take a long time to try every single mountain, you know."

"Well, there are some mountains named on the map." Isaac held out the map so that she could get a look at it. "I think that we should try to aim for these mountains. Hopefully, one of them is the sacred peaks that we are searching for. Hmm, why don't we try Mt. Aleph first? It's right next to Vale."

"That would mean actually going back to Vale though," Garet said uncertainly. He wasn't sure it was a good idea to face disappointment from his parents just yet. "But, hey, we have to look for those sacred peaks so we might as well try there. It would be pretty weird if Mt. Aleph was the sacred peaks... it would be such a coincidence."

"This Mt. Aleph is right next to your hometown?" Mia looked at the boys curiously. "What kind of a place is it? Have you actually been inside it?"

"No, we're not allowed in there, it's forbidden and it's supposed to be really dangerous." Isaac folded the map, slipping it into his pocket and bit his bottom lip nervously. "It's always been forbidden to enter and nobody's ever asked why. I don't think anybody in Vale even knows why, it's just a law that's been passed down through the years."

"Apparently, it's supposed to have all these freaky pits and dangerous stuff," Garet spoke in a hushed voice. "I remember when I was young, someone was telling me that there were countless bodies all over Mt. Aleph. People who went in there never came out because they didn't look where they were going and they fell to their doom."

"So if nobody ever came out, how do they know about the pits?" Mia asked with mild scepticism in her voice. "Indeed, it may have pits, but it might not be the real reason why you are not allowed to enter the mountain. You would be fearful of the pits and then you wouldn't go in for fear of falling, so you wouldn't find out."

"Maybe we should be the first to try and find out for ourselves," Felix spoke up as he guided the ship towards the river that would lead them in the direction of Vale. "If we explained, I'm sure that the Mayor would let us go in. Wouldn't he, Garet?"

"My granddad's pretty strict sometimes, but he might understand, I guess." Garet shrugged, smiling. "I could explain it to him why we have to do this and it will be sorted out in no time at all! How exciting would that be, Isaac? Getting to go into Mt. Aleph!"

"It's not a picnic, Garet." Jenna threw a mildly scornful look at him.

"I know that!" Garet exclaimed. "But it might not even be that dangerous after all. Nobody really knows what's in there. Those stories could have just been made up to scare us."

"Well, that's decided then." Isaac grinned, glad that they had finally decided on somewhere to go. It sure had taken long enough. He was also excited at the idea of getting to enter the forbidden mountain. "Destination, Vale and Mt. Aleph!"

"I'll finally get to see Vale." Jenna smiled happily, sitting on a barrel. "I can't remember any of it after all, so I'm pretty excited about getting to see it for myself. Who knows, maybe my memories will come rushing right back." She sighed wistfully at the thought. It sure would be nice.

"Mom and Dad will be really happy to see you again," Felix said, looking away from the tiller at her for a moment. "They have really been missing you."

"They will probably be disappointed when they find out I don't even remember them," Jenna murmured, frowning. "It really sucks."

"They won't be disappointed," Isaac protested. "You are yourself, with your memories or not. Your amnesia doesn't change anything. All they have wanted is to have you back."

"I still feel pretty nervous about going back so soon." Garet sat on the barrel next to Jenna. "You're worried about your parents being disappointed, Jenna? Mine are going to be even more disappointed because we didn't rescue Kay... or anyone other than you for that matter."

"We'll definitely rescue everyone the next time we try," Jenna said firmly. "I abandoned everyone in Prox to go off with you guys, didn't I? I'm so unfair... I bet they would hate me if they knew what I did."

"I wonder how the people in Imil are doing," Mia said softly, raising her head to look at the sky. "I'll have to see them again sometime, but not yet. I hope they are all doing okay and rebuilding the city. It was almost a shambles when I last saw it."

"Prox sucks," Jenna muttered, putting her head on Garet's shoulder as she leaned against him, letting out a weary sigh.

"Yeah. They really do." Garet put an arm around her, holding her securely.

* * *

The young girl coughed fretfully as she tossed and turned, her rumpled blanket almost falling off her bed. Her face was a deathly pale shade of pink and her eyes were deep and sunken from apparent lack of sleep. A soothing voice attempted to quell the suffering girl, who appeared to be eighteen despite her small figure, and the owner of that voice rearranged the blanket, then laid a cold hand on her forehead. 

"You're burning up." Menardi sighed anxiously, taking a step away from her ailing younger sister. "It looks like you caught a pretty bad strain of the Prox Flu this time."

"Have I?" Karst murmured softly, looking fondly up at her sibling with a weak smile on her face. "I suppose... I've had it a lot, haven't I? Even if I stay in all the time, I keep catching it and other bugs. I wish that I could be more healthy and to be strong again like when I was younger then I could do the things that you and Saturos always go out and do."

"I wish so too. I would love it if you could come out, train with us and even fight alongside us." Menardi kneeled down next to the bed and took one of Karst's hands in hers. Tears were already forming in the blonde's crimson eyes as she looked at the familiar form of her sick sister. "You've always been so sensitive, you catch the smallest cold... but I'm good at looking after you, aren't I?"

"You shouldn't be looking after me all the time," Karst croaked out, her papery voice just above a whisper. "You should be having fun and doing what you enjoy... maybe go on more of those missions. I'll probably die soon anyway, sometimes I feel like it... just so that I don't have to suffer anymore."

"Oh, Karst, don't say that," Menardi insisted, a tear trickling down one cheek. "You're my one and only dear little sister and I love you, I'm not going to abandon you to die. I know that one day someone can cure you, I'm sure a powerful healer could do it. Just hang on, Karst, hang on and soon you'll be out there in the snow covered streets. It will just be like when you were little, before you started getting sick so easily. You can go and see the palace, it's really big and beautiful and you'll love it. Just hold on for me please."

"I will try." Karst smiled sadly, her matching red eyes filled with pain. "I will try and hold on a bit longer at least for you, but I don't know how long I can go on. Still, I want that chance to be better. I don't want to die but if it's my fate to die young, then that's it, isn't it? It's hard to believe how Prox has changed a lot since I was little. It's nothing like a poor starving town anymore. It changed so much, but it wasn't until after I started getting sick all the time, and I want to really see how much it's changed since my childhood. I've never seen inside those tall buildings or that palace either. I want to see that palace someday."

"I know." Menardi stood up and leaned over, planting a light kiss on her sister's forehead. "Try and get some sleep now, you look like you haven't slept in ages." Karst merely nodded and closed her eyes, letting out a deep sigh. Menardi stood in the same spot for a few moments, watching her sister lying there in peaceful slumber, then abruptly turned and left the room, quietly closing the door behind her.

"Don't die, Karst," Menardi whispered, walking away. "Please, don't die, I'll find a way for you to live... I can't imagine what life would be like without my dear little sister..." She found herself outside in the streets and headed towards the palace, briskly passing through the milling crowds who readily parted for her, knowing her and recognising her status in the city, she was important and they understood that. She didn't care about the crowds however, she just needed to talk to the one person she was closest to other than Karst.

Menardi found him in the process of leaving the palace, coming down the flight of steps that led away from the grandest building in the city and came to a stop, waiting for him to join her side. When he approached her, she started walking and the two Proxians walked side by side back along the streets in silence until Saturos finally decided to break it.

"Menardi." Saturos glanced at his companion, having noticed the agony in her eyes. He could tell that something was wrong, Menardi was not usually like this. She was usually so composed, hiding herself behind a shield and never showing her emotions so freely. "What's happened? Karst isn't..."

"Karst is still suffering." Menardi chewed her lower lip, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill forth. She would not cry in public, that would do no good to her reputation and people might actually lower their respect of her. She had to keep up her pride even if her only sister was dying. "She's got the Prox Flu and she's in a pretty bad state... oh, Saturos, I'm so worried that she's going to..."

"Come on, let's go to your house." Saturos put an arm around her and held her protectively while they walked quickly back to Menardi's house, away from possible eavesdroppers in the crowds. Once they were inside, they went into the living room and sat on a worn leather couch. Menardi sighed and leaned against the faded upholstery, a listless look on her face. "Is Karst actually getting worse?" Saturos queried.

"I don't know." Menardi stressfully ran a hand through her long blonde hair and shook her head. "She's probably the same as she's always been, but lately... it's like her spirit's gone, that she's ready to die. She still wants to live, but I think she's actually prepared to give up the fight that she's been battling all these years and if she does then... I don't know what I'll do, but if she dies then I couldn't bear it!" Tears rained freely down her cheeks once more as she faced the prospect of bleak long years with all her family gone.

"She won't die," Saturos insisted, placing a hand on one of Menardi's shoulders. "She must just be feeling a bit worse than usual, but I'm sure that she'll recover sooner or later. Karst has bounced back from previous illnesses in the past, hasn't she? Don't lose hope, Menardi, Karst will live. She's a Proxian after all and Proxians are strong. We are strong and we thrive, no matter what we must do to make sure of that."

"But I'm scared... that I'll lose others too," Menardi clenched one hand in a tight fist, her long fingernails digging into her palm and leaving red crescent-shaped marks. "The way things are going right now, pursuing so many different things and trying to become more powerful all the time... I just think we're heading for disaster and I couldn't bear to lose you too."

"I'm not going to go anywhere," Saturos spoke reassuringly. "I wouldn't ever leave you alone, Menardi."

"Promise?" Menardi gazed hopefully into his concerned ruby eyes, looking for further assurance from him. "You promise not to leave me ever?"

"I promise." Saturos smiled. "I will never, ever leave your side and you can trust me on that. We're best friends after all, aren't we?"

"Oh, Saturos, I'm so glad!" Menardi flung herself into his arms and clutched him tightly, wrapping her arms around his torso and resting her head on his shoulder. "I really couldn't cope if you left me. Sometimes I wish that we could have the old days back, before we were forced to start raiding other places. I feel like we lost something that day, like we sacrificed our innocence in order to save our lives. It just wasn't fair what we had to do just to keep living. But now that we have our lives intact and we've got this city around us, I wish it would stop."

"Menardi." Saturos buried his face in her long, soft hair and closed his eyes, thinking over Menardi's words. What she said, it made perfect sense, and he realised something too. They had to stop now, everything was done, they needed to stop before they ran the risk of going too far and Prox got hurt for it. Everything that they had worked so hard for, it could be undone and all their hard work would have been for nothing. They couldn't have that. All they needed was a city to live in and they had that now.

He remembered the past, how happy they had been despite the suffering, the deaths from the flu and plague that wiped half the town out. It was a few years after that, when it seemed like they were all going to die, that the Proxians had to take drastic measures. The innocence of the starving, desperate people had been lost. They had kidnapped people, taken them from their homes, but as if to compensate for it, the slaves could roam freely in the city now. Yet, getting away from Prox wasn't that easy so they were usually stuck anyway. It wasn't really much of a compensation.

"You're right," Saturos murmured, opening his eyes. "We were about to go too far. It's time we just stopped raiding cities and concentrated on making Prox thrive, making a bright future for the younger ones. We can't keep giving this city a bad reputation."

"Really?" Menardi raised her head, turning her teary stare round to meet his. "You mean that, Saturos?"

"I've been having doubts for a while now but I've just been hiding them so well," Saturos continued speaking. "I did have regrets over the destruction we wreaked on that nice city, and all that really happened was that we got some extra treasure and also got stuck with an obnoxious jerk who's willing to capture his friends for us. I do not like him at all and I realise now that we're very fortunate we're not like him."

"Yes, he really was quite annoying." Menardi smiled lightly as she remembered the encounter with him just a few days ago. "So, what about that quest thing for those Teardrops? What will you do about it now?"

"Nothing." Saturos shook his head in resignation. "Nothing, and that's it. It's time to turn over that new leaf isn't it? We've got our home and we've got to keep it going for people like Karst as well as the children of Prox."

"Saturos, thank you so much." Menardi smiled, wiping away a tear. "That really means a lot to me. I did kind of like that controlling thing with the circlet, but all the other stuff that you've been doing, it just seemed wrong. The deaths that Prox has caused, the robberies... I don't want the same things happening to Prox either."

"I know," Saturos said simply, smiling back.

Time seemed to slow to a standstill as Saturos and Menardi gazed into each other's matching ruby eyes, absorbed in each other's presence and not taking any notice of their surroundings. A magnetic force seemed to pull them together and then their lips met. Their arms encircled each other as they spent an entire blissful minute savouring the passion of the moment, the surging emotions coursing through them that was love, red hot and fiery to go with their element.

Eventually, they broke apart and stared at each other in silence with radiant smiles on their face, waiting for the other to break the thick, yet blissful silence that was hanging around them. Both of them wished to preserve this beautiful moment for eternity and savour it for as long as it lasted.

"Well." Saturos coughed, breaking the silence. "I suppose we'd better go and let the whole city know about our change of plans, hmm?"

"Yeah, let's go then." Menardi stood, along with Saturos, and they walked out of the house hand in hand, not caring what the public would think about their public display of physical contact. They had to let the whole of Prox know of the changes, and if anybody wasn't happy about it, they would just be better off keeping their views to themselves.

* * *

Alex yawned as he stepped out of the building where the warriors slept, having only recently woken up and washed. It wasn't a training day today so he was allowed to sleep in and since he had advanced in his fighting skills so quickly anyway, there were little demands placed on him. He flicked his long blue hair back over his shoulders and strolled along a sidewalk, glancing at the people around him. There was something a little odd about the way people were behaving, they seemed almost happy. Okay, so they hadn't exactly been wallowing in misery but it felt like they were celebrating something that he was not yet aware of. 

"Excuse me." Alex hurriedly caught the attention of a Proxian man passing by. The Proxian turned towards him and immediately looked at him as if he was an ant who needed to be squashed, with an irritated look on his face. Alex assumed that he must have wounded the Proxian's relative or a friend at some point, which would explain why he was being looked at in that way. "Is there a celebration going on or something?"

"Yes, there certainly is." The Proxian sneered, his lip curling in a derisive smile. "It's our own little celebration. We don't necessarily whip out the cakes and put on paper hats and party when we celebrate. Now if you'll please excuse me, I have more important things to do than talking to-"

"May I enquire why you are all celebrating today?" Alex interrupted smoothly, his expression changing into a scowl. He was already beginning to feel irritated with the way this man was behaving. All he had done was ask a simple little question so why shouldn't the Proxian be more polite to him?

"I should have known," the Proxian muttered, his eyes narrowing. "Annoying people like you, they always want to know everything. Well, I'll tell you what, we, the people of Prox, are turning over a new leaf but you really don't seem like the type of guy to do that. After all, you are the obnoxious outsider who kept overpowering our soldiers sometimes, like my unfortunate friend who nearly was blinded. He couldn't open his eye for two days."

"Please don't start," Alex stressed, not wishing to hear a rant that detailed all the soldiers he had mercilessly beaten up while training. "I merely feel I have to fight to the best of my abilities to become the best warrior I can. How exactly are you all turning over a new leaf?"

"Well, we aren't raiding cities or going after treasures anymore or even trying to be any richer. That kind of thing. No more things that other people wouldn't consider wrong. So are you happy I answered your questions now? Because I really have to be off." The Proxian glared at him, storming away and leaving Alex standing speechless in the street.

"This is preposterous." Alex shook his head in dismay. "Not raiding cities? That's certainly a big change for a grand empire like this. What is this turning over a new leaf nonsense? This cannot be happening... not going after treasures or aiming to be more powerful? So that must means they are not trying to claim those Teardrops anymore. How can that be possible?"

The now fuming Alex stormed off towards the palace, determined to get some answers. He ignored the guards standing at the doors, merrily swigging ale from bottles, as he burst into the palace. Alex needed to talk to a certain someone about this right now. He could not stand to see his dreams being ruined, having the ultimate power was what he wanted and it was being taken away from him so suddenly.

When Alex entered the throne room where Saturos had usually been upon Alex's visits to the palace, he was surprised to find it empty. Not a single person was in here, let alone the person he had been hoping to find. Frowning, Alex turned and left to search for somebody who might at least be aware of the quest if not that Saturos, it seemed he could be somewhat absent. He was probably off somewhere enjoying himself, Alex thought angrily.

Alex was so lost in his thoughts that he almost collided with somebody and stepped back in annoyance to regard the person who had almost walked into him, a slightly taller soldier with green skin and reddish hair. Alex tried to recall his name, Puelle or some such odd Proxian name.

"Ah, Alex, isn't it?" Puelle smiled lightly. He would at least try to be tolerant of Alex but he had heard a lot of rather unsettling things about this young man so he wasn't exactly fond of him. "Have you heard about our reasons for celebration?"

"Indeed, I have heard," Alex spat out contemptuously. "Does this mean that all our work was for nothing, we are not going to try to claim the Teardrops of Luna anymore?"

"That is correct, we will be searching for no such thing," Puelle replied coldly, his face freezing over in a blank mask. "Please do try to put such notions out of your mind and instead concentrate on the glory of our Empire. We must now be making the future bright for Prox, rather than endangering it."

"Sure." Alex gritted his teeth and stomped past the Proxian solder, boiling inside with fury. He could not believe that such a thing was happening and he was certainly not going to be stopped now, he was sure he could do it himself and it didn't necessarily involve taking the Teardrops of Luna. Alex had other plans up his sleeve and there was no way Prox could stop him from carrying them out.


	24. Chapter 24

**Vision**

* * *

Back to Vale... which means a super long chapter indeed. 

Camelot owns Golden Sun.

* * *

"Despite the rest of the city celebrating, people like us still have to do our jobs!" a Proxian soldier lamented, leaning against the securely locked door, fastened with several bolts. "I bet everybody's having a swell time out there, chugging ale and singing songs. I wish I could be out there with them, having fun." 

"Guarding the treasure room really is important, Mandalas." His companion nudged him, a broad smile on his face. He didn't look as disappointed about having to do his job. Protecting the treasure was a noble enough deed. "Besides, I'm sure our friends will save some cake for us, if there's any, so don't start crying about it."

"I am not about to start crying, Nephix." Mandalas scowled. "Soldiers of Prox don't cry. And who's going to steal our treasure when everybody is out there celebrating?"

"I can think of a few people who might just try to steal our treasure at a time like this." Nephix lowered his voice, glancing around warily.

"Like who?" Mandalas shot back, raising an eyebrow in scepticism. "You don't think a Proxian would actually try to rob his own hometown? That would be just crazy. Aren't we kind of celebrating turning good? It would be ironic if someone came to steal the treasure, surely."

"Actually, I was thinking more about that Alex fellow, he gives me the chills." Nephix replied, shivering. "There's something not right about him."

"You're such a riot sometimes." Mandalas chuckled, clearly not sharing his friend's sentiments. "Chilling? Of course he's chilling, he's a Mercury Adept!"

"Talking about me?" A smooth voice cut in, interrupting their conversation, much to their surprise. They hadn't heard anyone approaching.

Mandalas and Nephix sharply turned, but all they saw were blocks of ice raining heavily down on them and sending them crashing to the floor, into unconsciousness. Alex smiled and rushed to the door, drawing back the bolts and pushing the door open. The door swung open without so much as a complaint and Alex stepped in, looking around in wonder at the piles of gold and other assortments displayed in full view. Despite all the treasure available for the taking, he only required one thing.

Alex soon found what he was looking for, three small jewels with a fiery orange glow. The Flames of Sol. Alex smirked and slipped the jewels into the pocket of his trousers, warping out. He had to get out of Prox and away as quickly as possible before the soldiers came after him, and he would of course use his Warp ability which he had recently learned. Alex was quite proud to possess a skill that so few people were capable of.

Now Alex was going to go find the sacred peaks. He had done a fair bit of research into Weyard and its geography and managed to come up with one conclusion. The sacred peaks had to be Mt. Aleph, which was next to Vale, it was one of the few mountains on Weyard plus it was apparently special, a protected place. There had to be a reason why it was off limits and he was sure it was what he was looking for. Surely, that power would soon become his.

* * *

"Ahh. Home sweet home, huh?" Garet couldn't help feeling glad to see his hometown as the group came to the top of a small hill overlooking the village. "I can't wait to see my family again. I hope everyone is doing well." 

"I just hope everyone doesn't get too excited to see us come back. They will just be setting themselves up for disappointment," Isaac said wryly. "Next time we return like this, we had definitely better have the other people from Vale with us."

"Vale hasn't changed at all since we left," Felix commented, gazing intently at the village that lay before them. "I guess it wouldn't though. Is it familiar to you, Jenna?" he asked hopefully, looking at her.

Jenna let out a small sigh, shaking her head slightly. "It does feel familiar, looking at the village from here, but nothing is really coming back to me. Though, I didn't think it would be this easy. It just isn't easy at all. I've been waiting three years for my memories to come back to me." She wistfully looked over the village, gazing at the thatched rooves, people walking back and forth, and what looked like a shining purple crystal erected at the center of a pond.

"It is quite a beautiful village," Mia spoke appreciatively. "It must be a lovely place to live, despite what Prox has done in the past." Her eyes moved up toward the mountain sitting in the distance, at the other side of Vale. "That tall mountain over there is Mt. Aleph then?" She gazed at the tall, purplish peaks in silence, wondering what it was like inside there. Could it be the sacred peaks after all? Would they climb to the very top and find amazing secrets waiting for them? Nobody really knew what would happen up there. Mia drew in a deep breath, clasping her hands together in anticipation.

"Yeah... I just hope it's not too difficult to persuade the Elders to let us go in, but if we talk to Garet's grandfather, who is the Mayor of Vale, and we explain everything to him, then it should be alright," Isaac said. "But when the fate of the world is in question, they can't really refuse to help us, can they?"

"Don't worry. We'll definitely get in," Garet said confidently. "It should be really exciting, getting to climb the mountain that nobody is allowed to enter, and we'll have stories to tell everyone when we come back out. It will be fine."

"We don't really know what to expect, but then again, a lot of unexpected things have happened. I'm sure we've learned to expect the unexpected by now," Jenna said dryly. "Anyway, are we going to go in yet?" she asked, sounding somewhat impatient. She wanted to see her parents, even if she couldn't remember them at all, and to really see what her hometown was like within.

"I think we've waited long enough," Felix spoke up. "Let's go into the village now and let everyone know we've returned."

The group of Adepts then quickly walked down the hill, approaching the boundaries of Vale. Isaac was first to reach the gate, undoing the latch and pushing it open so that they could all pass through. People standing the plaza looked on in surprise as the five came walking toward them. For a moment, they expected to see even more people coming, but there was nobody else. It was clear that Isaac, Garet and Felix may have brought two extra people back, but they hadn't managed to save all the people being held hostage by the kidnappers from long ago.

"Isaac, Felix, Garet?" A Valean approached them, looking surprised. "You have returned to Vale so soon? But where are the people who were taken hostage? I thought you were bringing them back."

"Hey, now, those people who took them are really strong warriors!" Garet exclaimed in annoyance. "We're trying to get stronger so that we can fight them. I don't see you going off to bring them back."

"I... I just thought..." The Valean backed off, looking somewhat mollified. "I'm sorry. I guess we got our hopes up, that's all."

"We are definitely going to bring them back sooner or later," Isaac said firmly. "But we have come home for a while, because we have some important business at the moment. Rest assured, when that is over, we will go and try again to bring them back."

"Yeah, right... of course... sorry again." The Valean nodded apologetically, then turned and walked away, leaving them alone.

"Great. I hope everyone who sees us isn't going to barrage us with all those questions." Felix sighed in exasperation. "That is bound to get annoying sooner or later. Now, should we go and see the Mayor first or save that for later? There are plenty of things some of us would like to do before attempting to climb Mt. Aleph as well, right?"

"Yeah, definitely. I want to see Mom and Dad," Jenna said quietly. "And Isaac, Garet, you must want to see your families as well, huh?"

"Why don't we go to Garet's house first to talk to the Mayor, so that he can speak with the Elders?" Isaac suggested. "Get that matter out of the way, then we can spend the rest of the day doing what we like. I don't think we'll be attempting to climb that mountain until tomorrow at the earliest."

"I think that would be best," Felix agreed. "Let's head to Garet's house then."

The Adepts then began walking through the village, trying not to pay attention to people who stared at them in surprise. Mia couldn't help noticing however that she seemed to be getting the most attention from onlookers. She supposed that she would stand out somewhat and had heard of Vale's natural aversion toward strangers. Still, it was quite daunting to be stared at so much.

"The village is so much more beautiful when you're inside it," Mia spoke, gazing around in awe at the lush greenery, the sparkling blue river and the plantation. "Of course, nothing compares to Lemuria, but I think this place looks so nice and homely. This is the kind of place I think I'd like to live if I wanted to be somewhere nice, quiet and peaceful."

"Yeah, I think you'd be quite at home here. It is a haven for Adepts after all," Isaac said, smiling. "People seem to be looking at you a lot. We don't have any Water Adepts here so I guess you stand out to them. It isn't bothering you, is it?"

"No, it's fine." Mia smiled back. "I guess I do look a bit strange, and I am a stranger too after all, so I guess the people would be a bit suspicious."

"Yeah. Who can blame them when scary looking people with red eyes and pointy ears come out of nowhere, attacking the village and kidnapping children?" Garet sighed. "Though, they never really liked strangers much before that. Psynergy is meant to be kept a secret and having a lot of strange people around endangers that."

"Despite that, Prox somehow knew the place was full of Adepts. I wonder how they even knew that?" Jenna frowned. "If Psynergy is indeed meant to be kept such a secret..."

"It is possible. Perhaps they were watching the village for a while and caught someone using Psynergy, or had spies inside the village who covered themselves up and sneaked around. We try to be careful, but sometimes someone messes up," Felix said. "Anything could have happened."

"Hey, here's my house!" Garet halted the conversation in his excitement and rushed towards the largest house in the village, which sat just north of the group on top of a steep slope. He stood in front of the door and waited for everybody else to catch up before pushing open the door and walking in. Mia was the last inside, closing it behind her. "Mom? Dad? I'm home!"

"Garet, you're back!" A red haired child appeared and barrelled into his older brother, looking joyfully up at him. "Did you get to go anywhere exciting? What took you all so long?"

"Well, it's a really long story," Garet told him. "I haven't got time to tell you all about it though. Maybe later, alright?"

"Oh, okay then." Aaron stepped back, looking slightly disappointed. "But you have to tell me, okay?"

"Garet! Thank goodness you're back!" A red haired woman approached the group, a joyful expression on her face. "It's so good to see that you're safe. Your father's been so worried, because you were taking so long... how did everything go?" She glanced at the group behind him, a little hope shining in her eyes, but it soon faded.

Garet noticed her expression suddenly change and sighed, hanging his head. He knew what that had meant. "This is going to be a long day, isn't it?" he murmured to himself.

"Cheer up, it's not that bad. We're going to try again, you know," Isaac whispered, nudging Garet in the side with his elbow. "You know they can't help getting their hopes up so much."

"I think it's still a bit hard for him though," Jenna said quietly, looking sympathetic. "So... this is Garet's house then." She looked around as they walked through the house, wondering if she would recognise anything, but nothing came to her. Well, it was to be expected anyway.

"The Mayor is here, isn't he?" Felix asked. "We really need to talk to him."

"Oh, yes, everyone is here right now." Garet's mother nodded. "So you will be able to talk to him. I take it this isn't just a visit?"

"Not exactly. We have something we need to do, but we'll talk about it with Grandfather first," Garet replied. "I really don't think he's expecting it though. It will be quite a surprise."

Soon, everybody was seated at a large table with plenty of chairs available. Garet's father and grandparents were also present at the gathering. Isaac, Felix, Jenna, Garet and Mia proceeded to tell the tale of the journey so far to Garet's family and then it was up to Garet to drop the bombshell.

"We kind of really need to go into Mt. Aleph." Garet said nervously, mentally cursing his travelling companions for making him have to be the one to tell them. It seemed like an unnecessary burden for him. "The fate of the world could be hinging on this, if Mt. Aleph are the sacred peaks. So, Grandfather, could you try and get us permission to enter it? I swear it's really, really important."

"Oh my goodness." Garet's grandmother gasped in shock, putting a hand over her mouth. "You are seriously planning on entering Mt. Aleph? Do you have any idea how dangerous it is?"

"But that's all just hear-say," Felix said. "Nobody really knows what it is like inside there if entrance is forbidden. How do we know the stories of pitfalls and deathtraps weren't just made up to stop people from going in? It could just be a ploy to protect something inside."

"Cool! You're actually thinking about going into Mt. Aleph?" Aaron gasped. "Can I come along?"

"Of course you can't," his father said sharply, silencing him. "We don't know what it's like inside there, but if it's as dangerous as the stories say, then it certainly is no place for a child like you. I'm quite worried about the five of you going in there too." He glanced at the older Adepts. "But you seem so keen on it."

"Hmm, well, this is certainly a surprise." The Mayor shook his head. He had certainly not been expecting a request to enter Mt. Aleph. "I understand that somehow this quest is important, if you have done so much already to claim those treasures. If the world is indeed in danger, then this cannot be ignored. Maybe you should go into Mt. Aleph, but I would have to speak to the Elders first."

"But what if it is really dangerous in there?" Garet's mother gasped in shock, her face paling. "I don't like the idea of my son being in danger, or anyone else. None of you know what it's like in there. Nobody does. Do you have any idea what could happen? You could all die!"

"But it is true that nobody really knows. Even the Elders do not know what Mt. Aleph is like within." The Mayor looked serious. Nobody has ever gone in there because we are all scared of what we might find. Death traps, pits, some evil beast lurking inside that will gobble you up the second you set foot into the mountain. It may all be true, it may not. Perhaps it is time somebody found out the mountain's secret."

"So does this mean you will speak to the Elders then?" Isaac asked hopefully.

"Yes. I will speak with them about the matter and try to convince them to let you all through." The Mayor nodded. "But for now, I suggest you all just rest for a while. You must be tired from travelling."

"Well, it looks like we can't persuade you otherwise." Garet's father let out a sigh. "This seems greatly important. Please be careful, all of you."

"Don't worry, we'll be fine," Garet said in determination, getting to his feet. "I mean, we've even battled a giant merman and stuff. How could climbing a mountain be much worse? Thanks, Grandfather."

"Well, I think I'm going to go and see my parents now," Isaac said, also getting up. "I haven't had the chance to see them yet after all. Oh, Mia... would you like to come with me to my house? I'm sure Mom will let you stay there overnight. We have plenty of space."

"Really?" Mia smiled as she stood. "That would be great. It's really no trouble, is it?"

"Of course not. Come on." Isaac took Mia by the hand and led her out of the room.

"Well, it looks like there's nothing more to talk about." Jenna got up, pushing her chair back with a loud scrape. "Alright, Felix, let's go and see Mom and Dad now."

"Yeah, of course." Felix quickly got up and the two of them left as well, leaving Garet alone with his family.

"Well, I'm feeling pretty beat so I guess I'm gonna go up to my room and have a nap." Garet yawned. "Travelling so much is tiring. I'm glad to be home."

"You're so lucky, Garet." Aaron pouted. "I wish I got to sail on a ship, fight monsters and see all those cool places. I want to have an adventure of my own when I am older."

"I sincerely hope there will be no more reasons for anyone in Vale to go on these little adventures again," Garet's father sighed, shaking his head. "Vale has suffered so much no thanks to those barbarians that kidnapped Kay and the other children."

"We're definitely going to get everyone back," Garet declared as he stood. "There's no way any of us will give up until every one of them is back home."

"We know." Garet's mother smiled. "Go and have your rest now, dear. I'll cook something for later. I bet you miss my cooking, don't you?"

* * *

"So, this is your house?" Mia looked up at one of the houses that Isaac was leading her to. "All the houses in Vale look very much the same, don't they? I bet newcomers would get lost rather easily." 

"Yeah, I guess they do all look alike and it's not like we really get many people visiting after all," Isaac said, smiling wryly. "It's always been this way. Whoever built the village probably just really liked thatch rooves."

"It's the same in Vault too. Maybe it's just that they are easier to build," Mia guessed. "Though, you know, I come from Imil so I guess I wouldn't really understand. I'm more used to the city settings."

"That's probably it." Isaac stepped up to the front door of his house and pushed it open, gesturing for Mia to step inside. As she did, he also entered, closing the door behind him. "Mom, Dad?" he called out. "Are you home?"

"Isaac? Is that you?" Dora came walking out from the kitchen and stopped as she saw him. "Oh, you've finally come home! Thank goodness, I was starting to get worried." She smiled. "Your father is out at the moment. So, is the quest over? Have you managed to bring back everyone who was taken by those people?"

"Not everyone, I'm afraid," Isaac replied, shaking his head. "We ended up having to leave with just two people. It's a long story though that I will explain later. We are definitely going to try again. Those people are just really strong and... it was a big city."

"I see." Dora slowly nodded her head in understanding. "Well, so long as you are alright." Her gaze turned to the blue-haired girl who stood next to Isaac. "Oh, so you managed to find yourself a girlfriend while travelling?"

"Mom!" Isaac exclaimed, his face going bright red in shock. Mia ducked her head in embarassment, also blushing deeply. "No, she isn't my girlfriend. This is Mia. Those red-eyed people from before had captured her but she escaped along with the other person, so we naturally rescued them both from that place."

"It's nice to meet you, Mia," Dora said pleasantly. "So, where do you come from? I think it is utterly despicable how those awful people keep kidnapping innocent people from their homes." She tutted. "Vale has never really recovered from the kidnapping incident."

"It's nice to meet you too, Ma'am," Mia replied. "I heard about the kidnapping from Isaac and the others. Those people ransacked my city and even slew my father. I come from Imil, which is in the north of Angara."

"Imil? Can't say I've heard of it, but then again, we people of Vale really don't know much about the outside world since it is generally forbidden to leave Vale without a very good reason." Dora exhaled. "How about I fix you two up something to eat? You must be hungry, surely?"

"That would be great. I'll show Mia around now," Isaac said. Dora silently nodded, watching as the two walked away to go look around the house. She quite liked Mia and had a sneaking suspicion that there might be something between the two, even if nothing had happened yet. Who knew, maybe something would happen.

* * *

"Here we are." Felix stood in front of the house that stood by the river. A wooden dock was built over the river, running from one side to another, supporting part of the house beneath its weight. "This is home." 

Jenna stood still, silently taking in the sight of her home that she had not seen in eight years and did not even remember. She moved her head, slowly looking over at the dock stretching across the river. "So, I'm finally home," she murmured, seized by a sudden fit of emotion. "At last... but I still don't remember it. I had hoped I would start to remember things at this point."

"It's okay. Give it time, Jenna. I'm sure they will return eventually. You just have to be patient," Felix said gently, putting an arm on her shoulder. "So, you ready to go in and see if Mom and Dad are there?"

"Uh-huh." Jenna nodded, swallowing heavily. She blinked rapidly, trying to prevent the sudden oncoming of tears. This was not a good sign. At this rate, she would probably break down and she hardly wanted her happy reunion to be full of tears. Some reunion it was if she still didn't remember anything, she couldn't help thinking. "Let's go in now."

Felix stepped forward, pushing the door open slowly and stepping into the house. He held it open, waiting for Jenna to come inside, then closed it. Jenna looked around, taking in the sight of the foyer that greeted her. She took a few slow, deliberate steps, looking around in wonder. A few doors led off to separate rooms and a flight of steps was also there, leading upstairs. There was something distinctly familiar about this house, but nothing yet to trigger the return of those memories she so hoped for.

One of the doors suddenly opened and a woman with red hair stepped out, looking around in surprise. Her eyes fell upon Felix. "Oh, Felix, you're home. You surprised me, coming in so suddenly like that." She quickly glanced back in the room. "Dear, come out here. Felix is back home."

"Really?" A dark-haired man appeared in the doorway. "Oh, so you are. Thank goodness for that, we were wondering why you were taking so long."

"Yeah, we've been really busy." Felix turned, glancing at Jenna who was standing awkwardly behind him and staring at their parents in wonder. "We haven't managed to save everyone who was kidnapped yet, but we did save someone."

Jenna took a deep breath, steeling herself, and stepped forward until she stood next to him. She raised her head, gazing intently at her parents "It's me... Jenna. I've come home at last."

Jenna's mother quietly gasped, her mouth hanging open as she looked at the daughter she had not seen in eight years. "Oh, Jenna... you're really back... you're home and safe..." She broke off and rushed over, pulling Jenna into a tight embrace. Jenna closed her eyes, inhaling her mother's warm scent. Somehow, the scent was also familiar to her. "Finally... it's been too long. We missed you so much."

"You have grown so much," her father said, walking over and joining in on the embrace. "When we last saw you, you were just a little thing. And you are the spitting image of your mother as well."

"Mom... Dad..." Jenna said slowly, savouring the words as she said them. She didn't want this moment to end, finding comfort in the warm embraces of her parents who she hadn't seen in so long. It was so good to finally be back home after all the troubles she had gone through. "I'm so glad to be back home."

"There must be quite a lot for you both to tell us," said her mother, stepping back and looking at Felix, smiling happily. "Well done. I knew you would bring Jenna back to us. But, not that I'm not happy, of course I am, how come the other people of Vale couldn't also come home?"

"That's because I was the only one they could actually rescue at the time. It's kind of complicated and a really long story." Jenna exhaled heavily. "We have a lot to tell you. I have some things I need to explain myself." She would have to tell them she had no idea of her past. It was a depressing thought but what could she do?

"Really? It all sounds like quite an interesting story indeed," said her father. "But at least Jenna could come home to us. This has been the best day I have had in such a very long time indeed."

* * *

"Hey, wake up, both of you!" An irate Proxian soldier kicked the two people lying on the ground, rolling them over onto their backs, as one had been on his front and the other slumped on his side. "What are you two doing sleeping around like this?" 

"Oog..." Nephix muttered as he prised his eyes open and looked upwards at the soldier who had woken him up. "Vesuvi? That you?" he murmured thickly.

"Why is the door to the treasure room open?" Vesuvi demanded, placing his hands on his hips and glaring down at Nephix as if he was indeed to blame. "What happened?"

"Alex... he came out of nowhere and attacked us..." Nephix rubbed his bruised head, struggling to remember the last moments before he'd been knocked out so suddenly. "He blasted us with Psynergy. Chunks of ice... they hit us. We didn't see it coming."

"It was too late to defend ourselves..." Mandalas moaned, still only half-conscious. "He took us down so quickly..."

"Fantastic." Vesuvi smacked his palm with a fist in annoyance. "I'd better go and notify Saturos. Who knows what that slimeball Alex did in there? Go get yourselves healed up." He turned and ran, his footsteps echoing down the corridor into the distance.

* * *

It was evening now and the sky was beginning to grow darker as the sun moved toward the horizon. The wind was blowing sharply, but Garet paid it no heed as he sat outside at the edge of a hill, gazing at the horizon. Soft, pink hues spread out across the sky, creating a beautiful sunset. He quietly sighed as he continued to watch it, wondering when they would be able to go back out and attempt to bring everyone in Prox home to Vale. Being home with his family just reminded him that they were out there, waiting to be rescued. 

"Garet?" Garet looked up at the mention of his name to see Jenna standing over him, a curious expression on her face. "Aren't you kind of cold sitting out here like that?"

"Nah, it doesn't really bother me." Garet shrugged listlessly. Jenna sat down next to him on the hill. "I just wanted to get out for a bit. I keep feeling guilty, thinking that maybe if we had tried harder or if we were just a bit stronger, maybe we could have come home with everyone instead of coming back like this."

"Hey, don't think like that," Jenna protested, placing a hand on top of his in an attempt to reassure him. Garet glanced down, momentarily startled by her touch. "We are definitely going to bring everyone home, no matter how long it takes. You know, we are just here to see if Mt. Aleph really is the sacred peaks that legend talks about. If it isn't, we'll just leave and go look for more mountains. Sooner or later, we'll go to Prox and try again. Try not to feel so guilty."

"Yeah, I guess that's true. It's not like we came back voluntarily, sort of," Garet murmured. "We're here to see if Mt. Aleph is the place we're looking for. Grandfather has talked to the Elders and they say we can go in, but not until tomorrow morning. It's kinda late for mountain climbing anyway. At least we got permission. So, how did it go with your parents?"

"They were a bit sad when they heard I had lost my memories, but were very understanding. At least they didn't accompany me to my room and name every single stuffed toy I had in there or anything like that." Jenna smiled faintly. "That's about how bad everyone with me in Prox was when they were trying to help me. I appreciated it, but it didn't really help like I said. I can't believe I had so many stuffed toys."

"At least you didn't drag them around all the time like Isaac did with that rabbit." Garet grinned. "That thing of his was absolutely filthy."

"That's a beautiful sunset, isn't it?" Jenna gazed at the horizon, entranced by the soft hues of pink and gold stretching across the sky. "It's so calm here, just watching the sunset quietly like this."

"Yeah, I guess. I'm not really much into watching sunsets, I just wanted to have something to do," Garet said, looking at her. "At least you're keeping me company now so it's not so bad."

Jenna gazed into his warm brown eyes and was suddenly aware of a strange feeling stirring in her chest. She awkwardly looked away. Maybe now was a good moment. She was sure she had feelings for him and here they were, alone together, watching the sunset. It was a peaceful moment, surely a perfect one too.

"It's so good to have you back," Garet said quietly. "Here with us, in Vale... heh, it almost feels as if nothing's changed, except we're older now. I hope that when we go out again, we won't be away from home for too long. I want everything to feel like the old days all over again. That was the time we were all happiest, before Prox ruined everything for us."

"Garet..." Jenna spoke, catching his attention. She looked at him with a serious expression. "You know, about that talk we had in Champa and I said that I hadn't really been paying attention to it?"

"Uh..." Garet shifted uncomfortably, ducking his head so that she couldn't see his embarassed expression. "Wait, are you saying that you were paying attention to it after all?" Despite the embarassment in his tone, he almost sounded hopeful.

"Yeah, of course I was. I wouldn't ignore you. I like it when we talk to each other," Jenna said, smiling. "You are a really fun person to be around, Garet, and I actually like you a lot. It really took me by surprise when you said you loved me though." She let out a small giggle. "I didn't expect that."

"Well, if you'd just told us all the truth about yourself in the first place, I wouldn't have had to make a fool of myself." Garet's face creased in a mock pout.

"You didn't make a fool of yourself!" Jenna protested intently, leaning over. Garet turned his head to face her in surprise. "I was glad to hear your feelings. I just want to say... that..." She hesitated. "I'm also in love with you. But..."

"But what?" Garet's eyes widened. What could she possibly be about to say?

"I bet it's not the same, is it?" Jenna sighed, leaning back and looking upset. "I mean, I have amnesia. I'm not exactly myself. Am I really the same as the girl from the past you say you're in love with?"

Garet stared at her, his mouth hanging open. How could she say such things? "Don't be silly, Jenna. Of course you are the same person. Just because you don't remember a big chunk of your life, it doesn't make you any different. You are the exact same girl that I love. I love you, Jenna."

Jenna's eyes began to well up and she mentally cursed herself. Why get teary at a time like this? She struggled to compose herself. "I love you too," she whispered.

The two then leaned toward each other, their arms reaching out to encircle the other as their lips melted together. They sat like that for an entire minute, savouring the touch of each other's mouths as they softly kissed. Eventually, they drew apart, smiling happily at each other. Tears were gliding down Jenna's cheeks, but they were tears of happiness. Garet reached out and wiped them away gently with his thumb.

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through Jenna's head and she gasped, reaching up to clutch it. For some reason, she was feeling intensely dizzy and a dull throb had begun to build up in the back of her head. The world around her was rapidly blurring and she could scarcely hear Garet's concerned voice as he asked her what was wrong. Then everything around her turned dark.

Jenna found herself standing in what looked like an endless abyss. All she saw around her was the pitch black darkness. She frowned, turning around rapidly and walking in circles. What was happening? The pain in her head and her dizziness had gone too. Where was she? Everything was so dark and frightening.

"Hello?" Jenna called out. Her voice bounced back at her, a dull echo that rang in her ears. There was no answer. It seemed that she was alone in the strange darkness. It was cold as well and eerie. There was nothing that felt like a breeze, though Jenna was pretty sure she wasn't outside, but was she really inside somewhere? She glanced down at her feet, suddenly seized by the disturbing notion she was standing on nothing. But how could that be possible?

This was just too creepy for words. Jenna drew in a deep breath and started running, desperate to get out of this place, wherever it was supposed to be. Her feet didn't even make a sound as she ran and she didn't feel anything either. Was she actually moving at all? In this darkness, she couldn't even be sure that she was moving. Jenna came to a stop, sighing in frustration. "Where am I?" she exclaimed, another echo following her question.

Suddenly, a strange figure appeared in the darkness, lit up by a soft glow from within. Jenna stood still, staring in surprise at the newcomer who was walking toward her. How were they even able to glow like that? She shouldn't be able to see anything at all in this creepy darkness. Just who was this person? Jenna held her breath, tensing nervously as the person approached her.

She was looking at a young girl, surely no more than fourteen, with red hair that had hints of purple and brown, as well as eyes to match. She wore plain looking clothes, a faded white shirt with a thick jumper over it, a long, rusty coloured skirt and sturdy looking boots. Those clothes were familiar. Jenna remembered having worn garments like those in Prox. It was important to wrap up warm in a cold place when you were outside so much after all.

Jenna understood clearly who she was looking at. This was her younger self from around the time she had been unfortunate enough to lose her memories. "You are me... but why am I seeing myself like this? I don't understand at all."

"I am a manifestation of the memories that you have lost," replied her younger self in a soft, haunting voice. "That is why I appear at the age of which you lost your past. It is time for you to recover it."

"Really?" Jenna exclaimed in surprise. "I can really have my memories back now?"

Her younger self nodded, smiling faintly, and held out a hand to her. Jenna reached out, taking hold of her hand, and a light appeared where their hands joined together. The flickering, white light shone brighter and spread out, engulfing both of them in its wake. For a moment, Jenna could see nothing but the light, until it faded away again.

Jenna saw a pleasant looking beautiful village before. The houses had thatched roofs of straw, and there was a clear running river, gurgling as the water cascaded over stones in the bottom. The light sparkled on the water's surface, reflecting the bright, golden sun up in the sky. There were few clouds up there, and those that were happened to be small, white and wispy. She could feel gentle heat on her face and the sound of laughter and talking. It was Vale, of course, her own home.

So many scenes were playing before her. She was getting to see her memories as they rapidly returned to her.

---

_"Look, Weed's eating the weeds!" A younger version of Isaac laughed, sticking his plush blue rabbit into a patch of weeds that grew out of the ground. The sun glanced off his spiky, golden hair, making it shine. He looked up at her and whoever else was with her, amusement in his sparkling blue eyes. His mouth was twisted in a wide grin, displaying a gap where a tooth had previously come out._

_"That's disgusting, Isaac, your rabbit's going to get all dirty and then it will have to be washed!" she exclaimed, grimacing in disgust. "I'm surprised your mom still lets you carry it around!"_

So many precious memories were returning to her at last. Jenna smiled happily, content as she saw the past play itself over again for her.

_"I trampled Kay's flowers again." The red-haired boy, who was obviously a younger version of Garet, gave her a mischevous grin, delight in his deep brown eyes. He obviously did not seem very sorry about what he had done." She shouted at me, but she can't hit me or anything because then I'll tell Mom and Dad! I can't understand why she likes her stinky flowers so much, flowers are so yucky and horrible. Maybe Isaac's rabbit should go and eat them."_

_"It's only a toy, it can't eat them, Garet," she argued, looking pathetically at the young boy. "It doesn't even anything. And what if your mom tells you off for trampling the flowers in the first place? Then you lose anyway!"_

---

Her life was coming back to her at last. Tears of delight slowly moved down Jenna's cheeks as she savoured the lost memories returning to her.

---

_"I found a nest with bird eggs in it!" She was facing a familiar young boy with dark hair pulled back in a ponytail. "Want to see? It's up in that tree over there!" She nodded eagerly and followed him as he scampered off towards the tree. Before she even reached it, he was already scaling up the trunk and climbing from branch to branch without any fear of falling or even the chance a branch might break._

_"Felix, be careful!" she shouted anxiously, pressing her hands against the smooth bark and peering up at him as he disappeared into the treetop. "Don't fall!"_

_She waited for ages, a knot in her stomach forming from the anxiety she felt, scared that he might slip and fall. Tree climbing was not safe, it had been drilled into her and the others so many times, yet he went and did it anyway. At last, he landed next to her, having jumped off one of the lower branches. She had been so focused in staring at the bark of the tree, willing for his safety, that she hadn't noticed him coming back down._

_"Look." Felix held out his palm, displaying a small, speckled egg. "One of the eggs from the nest."_

_"But you shouldn't take eggs from nests, should you?" she asked. "Won't the bird inside the egg die?"_

_"It's cold," Felix explained. "Means the mother must have abandoned the nest sometime ago. Still, you can blow the contents out and make a collection, that would be a neat idea, wouldn't it?"_

_"And then Mom and Dad want to know where you got the eggs from, and you tell them you climbed a tree," she said sceptically. "That's not a very good idea, is it? You scared me, I was worried you might fall or something!"_

_"I wouldn't fall." Felix slipped the egg in his pocket and put an arm around her shoulders, walking her away from the tree. "I'm too careful for that."_

---

"Felix... Isaac... Garet..." Jenna whispered, her smile widening. "At last I'm remembering everything. I'm so glad. I'm finally getting my past back..."

---

_"Goodnight, Mommy..." she sleepily murmured as she pulled the duvet over her shoulders and smiled up at the image of her mother, leaning over her bed. Her red hair, which she normally tied back in a bun, was loose and tumbling over her shoulders. Her brown eyes were warm and comforting and when she looked into them, she felt at ease._

_"Goodnight, darling." Her mother kissed her forehead and brushed a lock of hair away from her face. She felt her smooth, cold palm where it brushed against her skin and then she closed her eyes, hearing the footsteps of her mother walking away, out of the room._

---

_"Daddy, when will I learn Psynergy?" she asked, sitting in her father's lap and leaning against his warm body, looking up at his kind face, his dark brown eyes, his matching hair and moustache._

_"When you're ready," he answered, putting an arm around her and holding her close. "You want to learn it now?"_

_"Will I be able to make the ground shake like you, or make fire like Mommy?" she asked, avoiding the question. She had not quite decided whether she wanted to learn it yet or not, it seemed very exciting but also a bit dangerous._

_"I'm not sure, but you'll probably use fire because you are quite a fiery one." He smiled. "And Felix will get the Venus Psynergy from me, I should think."_

_"I like the idea of being able to make fire. Maybe I can be a good cook like Mommy too!"_

---

Memories cascaded through Jenna's mind in a turbulent rush. The floodgates had been opened and now her memories were returning to her, breaking out of the seal that had held them and kept them a secret for four years past. She fell to the floor into a hunched over position, crying tears of relief as well as sadness for what she had lost by being in Prox for the last eight years.

---

_"Garet... you're such an idiot!" She exclaimed, upon seeing him surrounded by pieces of a broken vase that had culminated from him trying to put it on his head._

_"I'm not! Tell her I'm not!" Garet looked desperately at Isaac and Felix, but they were too busy chuckling to stick up for him._

_"Look, Weed's hungry!" Isaac chuckled, holding Weed towards her. "He's going to eat you!"_

_"Yuck!" She pushed the rabbit away. "Rabbits eat plants, not people!"_

_"If people eat people, what does that make them?" Garet asked._

_"Disgusting," Felix replied cheerfully._

_"Have you ever wondered what's outside the village?" Felix asked._

_"Yeah, I bet the world outside's really big!" Garet exclaimed._

_"Do you think people who aren't from Vale are different?" Isaac asked curiously._

_"Like aliens?" She asked._

_"Maybe they don't even know what Psynergy is!" Garet gasped at the thought._

_"Wow, they must be really strange!" she said in awe, trying to imagine someone without Psynergy._

_"I'd like to see the outside world sometime," Felix said dreamily, looking up at the sky._

_"Wouldn't we all?" She asked._

_"Maybe we will someday." Isaac smiled, holding the rabbit close. "And I'll take Weed with me."_

_"You do and I'll stuff it down the nearest garbage hole," Garet threatened. "That would be an embarrassment!"_

_"Hey, I know, they must be going to the sanctum. Why don't we follow them up there?"_

_"Jenna, I think if Isaac is ill, it would be best to stay away. We might risk catching what he's got."_

_"But... but... Isaac is ill..."_

_"Oh, it's alright. I'm sure that Isaac is going to be just fine anyway. Really."_

_"Don't you even care, Garet?"_

_"What have I said about hitting people? You know it gets you into trouble."_

_"Oh, come on, Felix, Garet's being mean. And Mom and Dad needn't know what I did."_

_"Well, it's just that the last time you hit him, you actually gave him a black eye. Just calm down, Jenna. Garet's just trying to make you feel better about it."_

_"Aww... I gave myself away again, didn't I?"_

_"Come on, help me find Isaac and Garet."_

_"Aw, man. You found me."_

_"That really wasn't the best hiding place."_

_"I wonder what it is."_

_"I'm scared. Why are people screaming?"_

_"I'm going to go and check it out."_

_"No, Jenna, get back! It might not be safe out there!"_

_"Maybe someone's just having an argument,"_

_"I'll be careful, I just want to see what's going on."_

_"Mom? "Dad?"_

_"Oh, another child. You will do just fine too. Come along. Aww, do you want the cute little rabbit? Well, tough!"_

_"No, Weed!"_

_"Come on, let's go!"_

_"Mom! Dad! Felix! Somebody, please help me!"_

* * *

Jenna's quiet sobs soon ceased as all her memories eventually returned to her. She kept her eyes tightly shut against the blinding white light that reappeared, balling up her fists and pushing them into her eyes. She could taste salty tears on her lips and she could feel herself drifting away, the tide of relief washing her away as she finally remembered everything, finally claimed what she had been searching for for so long. 

Eventually, she felt the sensation of drifting into consciousness. It felt as if she had been sleeping a long time. Her body felt heavy and she could hardly open her eyes. There were voices, but she couldn't hear them so well. Where was she? Eventually, the voices became louder and clearer. Jenna drew in a sharp breath and exhaled, her eyes slowly opening. She looked around, realising that she was in bed in her own room. Felix, Garet, Isaac and Mia were there in the room.

"Hey..." Jenna smiled sleepily. "How long was I out for?"

"You're awake!" Mia exclaimed in relief. "Thank goodness. Garet only brought you here a few minutes ago, so I don't think you were out very long."

"Are you feeling okay?" Garet asked concernedly. "That was a pretty frightening way to end our first kiss."

"What?" Felix exclaimed. Garet flinched, shooting him a nervous glance. "You mean... you two are together?"

"Well, we kind of only just said we liked each other," Garet said meekly. "Then we kissed, Jenna freaked and passed out."

"What happened?" Isaac asked, looking at Jenna with a worried expression. "You aren't feeling ill, are you?"

"No. I feel fine." Jenna sat up and exhaled, shaking her head. "That was pretty weird. I'm sorry I scared you like that, Garet. But I've got some good news to share with you all."

Everyone looked at each other in confusion, then threw her doubtful glances. Whatever could she be talking about? Jenna grinned wider.

"I remembered everything," Jenna said. "And I mean, everything. Vale, my life before I was taken away, even the early years of Prox... playing with you guys all the time, how Isaac had that rabbit all the time, Garet picking on his sister's flowers..." She trailed off, shaking her head. "I think you get the picture."

"Seriously? That's great!" Garet exclaimed.

"That's wonderful, Jenna." Isaac smiled. "Now you remember us and stuff."

"Mom and Dad will be happy to know that too." Felix looked relieved. "It looks like you didn't have to wait much longer after all."

"Yeah... I'm so happy." Jenna sighed in relief. "And, Garet, I'm sorry I used to beat you up so much. I won't do that anymore."

"That's good to know," Garet quipped. "What kind of a relationship would we have if you got so mad at me all the time?" Jenna just giggled in response.

Mia watched on as Felix, Garet and Isaac exchanged hugs with Jenna. They all looked so happy. She wished she could be a part of their lives, but she knew she didn't really belong in Vale after all. The people of Imil would surely be expecting her to come back and claim the kingdom for herself. What kind of a Princess would she be if she neglected her title? Mia sighed heavily. She hadn't expected it to become an issue, but it seemed that it would. What was she supposed to do?


	25. Chapter 25

**Vision**

* * *

Another long chapter, I'm afraid, but it's just because of the exciting stuff happening. 

Camelot owns Golden Sun.

* * *

"Alex actually did what?" Saturos could scarcely believe his ears once Vesuvi had delivered the news. Night had already fallen by the time he'd heard about it, since he had been difficult to find when the celebration was going on. "I knew we couldn't trust him after all." 

"But You're the one who took him in as a warrior," Menardi pointed out, hanging onto Saturos's arm. "I wonder what he took from the treasure room. You wouldn't have put some of Agatio's stuff, like another circlet, in there, would you? Maybe that's what he was after. I never did like that greedy boy."

"That crown I made for the girl was the only one I'd made so far," Agatio protested, looking outraged and horrified at the thought of someone taking something he worked so hard to make. "And we never even got it back! Just what happened to that girl we put it on?"

"Since she never came back, I can only assume that those Adepts must have overpowered her and she was unable to succeed. I guess they just took her back home," Saturos guessed. "It doesn't matter anymore since we no longer seek the Teardrops of Luna."

"Shall I go check and see what Alex took?" Puelle offered. "I know a lot about the treasures kept in there and I make sure to keep the inventory up to date. I'm sure I might be able to notice what's missing. I doubt that he would have taken everything from the treasure room but I can't possibly imagine what he wanted."

"It doesn't really matter that much. I don't think there was anything terribly important in there, at least, not that I can remember right now." Saturos sighed and shook his head. "But go and check if you want."

"I will do that." Puelle walked away, heading quickly towards the treasure room with a grim expression. He remembered how Alex had seemed extremely displeased at Prox's turning over a new leaf. That man was surely rotten to the core.

"Are you alright?" Menardi glanced concernedly up at her love, frowning anxiously.

"I'm just feeling a bit annoyed about the fact he betrayed us without warning and even knocked out two of our soldiers." Saturos exhaled heavily, his eyes narrowing. "But so long as he's out of here and he doesn't intend to come back, I'm not complaining."

"I don't want to see him again either. He was such an annoying and stuck up person." Menardi sniffed. "If he really wanted to have something from the treasure room, why didn't he just try asking instead of attacking the soldiers? I wonder what it was he took."

The sound of footsteps echoing on the cold stone floor alerted the three Proxians of someone coming towards them and they noticed that Puelle was returning, a harried look on his face and some evident concern in his bright ruby eyes. He came to a stop and ran a hand through his long red hair stressfully.

"Well, it doesn't look good at all," Puelle said nervously. "A lot of the treasure is still there... in fact, almost all the treasure is intact. He hardly even touched anything. In fact, there is only one thing missing from that room."

"What is that thing, Puelle?" Saturos asked, disturbed by the look of alarm on Puelle's face. There was something important in there, wasn't there? If only he could just remember what it was, but he'd had a lot of ale to drink during the celebration and his memory wasn't quite how it should be.

"The Flames of Sol," Puelle replied, hanging his head dismally. He knew that it was not good at all, that Alex had taken that particular thing. "That one thing connected to what we were previously searching for. I suppose he had other ideas. That reminds me, I met Alex shortly after we started celebrating the decision to turn over a new leaf... and Alex did not look happy to know that we'd changed our minds about everything. I am sorry, I should have told you sooner."

"It's alright, Puelle. You couldn't possibly have known what was going through Alex's mind." Saturos waved his hand, dismissing Puelle's concerns. "I suppose we should have seen through him from the start, that nasty piece of work. But those Flames... the Flames and the Tears together..."

"Something about an incredible power, right?" Agatio queried, his eyebrows knitting together. "Enough to conquer the world?"

"And Alex wants that power for himself, doesn't he?" Menardi raised an eyebrow. "He wanted it all along. That means he was using us! All along, he was trying to use us for his selfish desires. Well, I'm glad we decided not to go after those things, he's certainly not worth wasting our soldiers over!"

"That fiend." Saturos gritted his teeth, clenching his fists. If Alex was standing in front of him right now, he would have taught Alex unforgettable pain. "This is unforgivable."

"Now we will just have to pin our hopes on those Adepts who have the Teardrops." Puelle clasped his hands together in silent prayer. "As determined and strong as those people must be, I'm sure they will not allow Alex to claim such a power. He only deserves punishment for this unjust act."

* * *

The next morning, Isaac, Garet, Felix, Jenna and Mia were all up after eating a quick breakfast. They now stood at the top of the steps in front of the sanctum, looking toward the mountain that loomed before them. It was time to discover what secrets Mt. Aleph held within and whether it was indeed the sacred peaks spoken of in the legend. 

"Well, I guess we're going in now." Isaac drew in a deep breath as he gazed at Mt. Aleph, looking up at the vast peaks of the mountain stretching toward the sky. "I have never thought before that I would actually be going in there someday. Nobody has ever gone into Mt. Aleph after all. It was always forbidden to enter."

"Well, if it the sacred peaks, it's hardly a surprise that people would not be allowed to go in." Mia smiled at him. "And we've got the Elders' permission so we're all set to go in."

"I can't help feeling a little scared," Jenna admitted. "We really have no idea what's waiting for us in there. What if there's something worse than Poseidon waiting for us?"

"It will be fine," Garet assured, taking hold of her hand and squeezing gently. "Whatever happens, we'll deal with it." Jenna looked up at him and nodded, smiling. Of course it would be alright. With all of them together, there was nothing they couldn't handle.

The group set off towards the mountain, walking past the sanctum. Felix glanced around nervously, almost expecting some villager to leap out of the bushes and scold them for getting so close to the mountain. They came to a gate and beyond the gate was the path leading towards the mountain. The mountain was mostly formed of craggy rocks with flat surfaces for easy walking and there was a door set in the surface where the path came to a stop. Isaac reached out and unlatched the gate, which swung open with an ominous creak. They stepped onto the path, Jenna closing the gate behind them, and walked toward the door.

"Hopefully, it's not locked." Isaac reached out towards the door, which gleamed bright silver in the sunlight that glanced off it. He closed his hand on the doorknob and twisted in a slow, deliberate motion, feeling it wrench all the way round, and then pushed. To his surprise and relief, the door swung slowly open, a flurry of dust rising up to greet the Adepts. They looked inside, seeing a corridor lined with statues standing at the sides, as if to greet them as they walked along.

"We're looking into Mt. Aleph." Garet exhaled deeply, having been holding his breath as Isaac opened the door. "I don't believe it, we're actually looking right into the forbidden mountain! I bet we're the first people to even get this close in years."

"Don't get too excited yet. We've still got a long way to go and we don't have any idea what's going to happen." Felix told him. "At least, I'm sure it will take a while to get to the top, judging by how tall this mountain is."

"It's really quiet in here." Isaac stepped into the mountain, his footsteps making a loud sound on the floor which echoed in the marbled hallway. "Every sound we make... it's so loud!"

"Really?" Jenna exclaimed, louder than usual to test the echo. She winced as the sound bounced back at them, even louder than her own voice. "Ouch. Let's just talk quietly while we're in here."

"Well, it could be worse." Felix examined a white marble statue. "There could be a big dragon waiting for us or something. I don't know about you, but I'm not exactly anticipating that sort of thing."

"Have you ever seen a dragon?" Garet asked, raising an eyebrow. "I've never seen any dragons. But it would be pretty cool to see one, I think. Just, not inside this mountain, you know? Because that would be scary."

"I have certainly never seen real dragons before either." Mia frowned. "Dragons were very powerful beasts of the past, yet there is little surviving evidence of them having been in this world. I have seen drawings of them in books and they looked very fearsome indeed."

During the time they had managed to fit the conversation in so far, they had reached the end of the corridor and reached another door. Felix pushed against the door but it did not budge, even when he tried again.

"The door won't open!" Felix exclaimed, examining it in case there was a bolt keeping it shut or something else that prevented the door from giving way for them.

"We can't have come all this way to lose already." Garet growled in frustration. "There's got to be a way through that dratted door!"

"There's writing on the top of the door." Isaac pointed to some words that had been etched above the door in a neat, curling script. He squinted to try and see it better and figure out what it said. "If you have come with the sacred treasures and yearn to be let in, repeat the ancient scripture and entry will be granted."

"The ancient scripture?" Felix echoed, frowning. "Is that what we think it is?"

"Wait, if getting through is so difficult, then does that mean nobody ever got any further than this?" Garet's jaw dropped. "So those stories of pits and death traps were lies?"

"Well, they could just have been made up to scare us," Jenna said. "But if people can't even get through the door, I don't see the point of making up stories."

"It might still be dangerous in there," Mia assured him. "The stories may have been made up, but that doesn't necessarily mean they aren't true. Perhaps someone, who knew how to get through, has indeed been all the way up and they could have passed the story of what lies within down through the generations. So it's possible the stories are real."

"That's a relief," Garet said sarcastically. "I'm looking fowards to pits and death traps."

"Garet." Isaac threw him a warning glance. "Cut out the sarcasm. Who's got the papers?"

"We don't need them, I know it all by heart." Mia stepped forwards and faced the door, gazing up at the writing. "It may not be the song since the writing does not actually refer to that, I think it would indeed be what we call the scripture." She paused, trying to recall each and every word of the ancient scripture. "Luna's tears give shape to night, while Sol's molten fires create the day..."

As Mia started to recite the scripture, the corridor was suddenly lit up with a vivid blue light. The boys looked around in alarm, but nothing else happened so they relaxed and concentrated on listening to Mia.

"The sun is fire, the moon is water. On the union of day and night, power is born and given to the one who willingly takes. If they conflict, one must triumph for power. The two will meet upon the sacred peak."

As Mia finished speaking, the ground started to shake gently and the door swung open with a guttural moan. The light filtered through the door and showed the group a long twisting hallway filled with light. They wordlessly progressed into the hallway, gazing around in amazement. The walls were decorated with various carvings, studded with glittering rubies, sapphires and emeralds that twinkled vibrantly in the unearthly light that seemed to come from no apparent source. They walked along the twisting hallway without saying a word, absorbed in the beauty of this place where people must have gone, countless aeons ago, their tales of this place lost in the flurry of time. It certainly did not seem like the kind of place to have traps, it seemed calm and beautiful, a place where they could relax without worry.

At the end of the hallway, they were greeted by a twisting flight of steps which spiralled upwards and were supported with banisters so that the risk of falling was reduced. Everybody gazed upwards and however long they stared, they could not make out the top which evidently meant that it would be a long climb.

"It seems to go up a very long way," Jenna said, staring up in awe. "What if it goes all the way to the top of Mt. Aleph?"

"If it does, it looks like we have quite a climb ahead of us," Isaac guessed. "Well, it's good exercise."

"I can't believe someone could build such a long staircase," Felix said in awe. "It seems to go on forever."

"Um, guys?" Garet spoke up in a tentative voice. Four gazes swung towards him. "Maybe I should stay down here?"

"You want to stay here while we go all the way up there?" Mia asked in surprise.

"I don't know." Isaac narrowed his eyes. "You want us to leave you alone here?"

"You don't know what might happen in this place. Anything you do could trigger something, so you'd be better off coming with us," said Felix.

"I agree," Jenna chimed in. "It's too dangerous for you to stay here alone. Anything could happen to you, Garet. We don't really know if this place is safe yet."

"But it's so high!" Garet complained petulantly. "I could just make my way back and return to Vale, where I could wait for you all to come back."

"Nope, you're coming with us," Isaac said firmly. "If you want to throw up, just lean over the banisters."

The thought of leaning over the banisters almost made Garet want to throw up on the floor right then. He took a deep breath and nodded shakily, taking a step towards the staircase. His face was rapidly growing pale at the thought of that long walk up those steps.

"Yeah, okay. I've got to be brave, right." Garet gritted his teeth. "I'll just hold onto the banisters. If they weren't there, then I swear that there would be no way that you could get me up that staircase."

"That's right, Garet, well done," Mia praised him. "You're very brave."

"Do you want to hold hands?" Jenna teased. Garet shook his head. He could get up there just fine. He didn't need to hold anyone's hand.

"Why don't you go first?" Isaac offered. Garet just glared at him and he backed away. "Whoah... relax!"

"I'll go first." Mia put a foot on the first step. "After all, I'm tied in this the most, so I might as well." She started to ascend the staircase, followed by Isaac, Garet, Jenna and lastly Felix. They began the the long, slow climb up the stairs. The light followed them as they went up and soon they could not even see the bottom of the stairs, yet the top was still not visible. Garet started to complain about being tired, Isaac grudgingly agreed that he was tired too. Eventually, the top was in sight and everybody was able to release a half-hearted cheer.

"Well, we're probably at the top now." Mia leaned over to catch her breath as she stood in front of the door. "Maybe this is the final room. We're so close."

"It was certainly easier than I thought it would be." Isaac panted. "I always thought those stories about Mt. Aleph being dangerous were true, but if this is how it is, then we probably don't have much to worry about."

"So what now? Do we just leave the Teardrops here?" Garet asked curiously.

"I suppose so." Mia bit her lower lip, looking indecisive. "It may well keep them safe from Prox... and you're not likely to let Prox in again..."

"We didn't just let them in, they charged in," Isaac protested. "We aren't that careless, honestly."

"Sorry." Mia flushed bright red. "I'm so sorry..."

"It's okay, Mia." Isaac put a hand on her shoulder. "You weren't there, so you wouldn't know. But we'll be prepared if they do come again. It was such a surprise the first time, nobody was expecting it. They came right out of the blue and then they were gone as quickly as they came. We didn't stand a chance then."

"There's more writing here," Felix realised, standing by the door. He noticed a basin attached to the wall besides it. "And a basin?"

"The writing says... 'Only those with Mercury's blood may pass'..." Jenna recited as she read the writing. "Mercury's blood?"

"From a Mercury Adept, right? Then, Mia's blood?" Garet exclaimed, his eyes widening. "What, a sacrifice or something?"

"No, it can't be something that drastic," Felix said quickly. "Look, the basin must be to collect blood... but just a little..."

"So, it needs my blood, does it?" Mia reached down and picked a slab of granite off the floor. Despite the smooth, polished floor they had previously traipsed over, the surface was now littered with a few slabs of different types of stone, and even some marble. "Fine then, I'll give my blood..."

"Not too much," Isaac said anxiously. "I don't want you to bleed to death."

"It's okay. I'll be fine." Mia held out her arm over the basin and put the sharpest end of the slab of granite next to her skin. She gritted her teeth and slashed her arm, creating a small, neat cut. The granite slab clattered to the floor and blood welled up from the cut. Mia turned the wound towards the basin and squeezed it, letting a few drops splash into the basin. Almost immediately, the basin seemed to glow with an eerie light and then the door swung open.

"Ply." Mia placed a hand over the cut and a blue light surrounded it, as the familiar aura of Psynergy enveloped her. The cut closed up and the blood ceased to flow. Mia stepped back, smiling. "Looks like it worked."

Now that they had been granted entry, the Adepts stepped into the room. Apparently, this was the last room as there were no other doors. It was round and spacious, with pillars in a circular pattern surrounding a tall granite structure, raised on a stone plinth. The structure was round and tapered into a sharp point, and further examination revealed that there were six slots, three on one side and three on another, opposite each other. They were smooth, rounded hollows.

"These hollows." Mia gasped out. "These must be where... the Teardrops of Luna go... and the Flames of Sol would go in the other three slots."

"So this is it then?" Isaac inhaled deeply, then exhaled. "We've come so far, and this is the end... seems like it's gone so fast, doesn't it?"

"I've got a horrible feeling it's not over yet," Felix rubbed his forehead. "Doesn't anybody else feel this way?"

"I've got a horrible feeling too." Garet nodded. "About going back down those stairs."

"I kind of have a feeling too," Jenna spoke up, looking disturbed. "Like we should be waiting for someone. It's weird. I can't explain it so well."

The Adepts stood there in silence, in that last room in the mountain, right at the top with the surface of Mt. Aleph just above them. Suspense hung in the air as the question of what to do next wavered. Nobody knew what would happen once Luna's Tears were placed into the hollow, and they chose to let time stay still for the moment, each of them in deep thought.

* * *

Alex stood outside Vale, in front of the gate that was closed against him, gazing into the village with a smirk on his face. His goal was so close now. He briefly reached into his pocket, pulling out three small objects in his closed fist and opened up his hand to see the softly glowing objects that lay snugly on his palm. "The Flames of Sol," Alex murmured, looking intently at the crystals filled with fire. "I shall bring them to the sacred peaks." He looked up, toward the mountain in the distance. 

"It won't be long now," Alex whispered to himself, closing up his fist and slipping the flames back into his pocket. "Not long at all before I can claim the power that I so desire to have." He warped out in a flash, reappearing in the middle of the village and quietly slipping through the shadows as he approached the path that would take him to Mt. Aleph.

As soon as Alex emerged out of hiding and set foot on the path leading to the mountain, approaching the open gate, a loud shout came from behind. He turned in annoyance to see a bearded man clad in robes storming up to him.

"Halt!" the Elder shouted angrily. "Entrance to Mt. Aleph is expressly forbidden. Do not go any further!"

Alex sniffed in contempt and raised a hand, firing several large chunks of ice in the Elder's direction. The man screamed in pain as the shards of ice plowed into his chest. He staggered back, gasping as blood began to stain his robes crimson. Alex stood still, coldly smiling as he watched him fall over in an increasing pool of blood. These people were surprisingly weak. Still, he decided it would be a good idea to hurry into the mountain before he attracted any further attention. The Mercurian sharply turned and stormed through the gate, hurrying along the path and pushing open the door that granted him access to Mt. Aleph.

Alex marched steadily through the corridors of Mt. Aleph, having little regard for the scenery around him. He had only one objective on his mind, getting to the top and claiming his much sought-after power. Alex suspected that he may not be the first one in but he did not mind, he could easily dispose of anyone who tried to stop him. Nothing would get in his way now. Alex smiled wickedly as he grasped the crystals in his pocket, the thought of claiming the power spurring him on to go faster.

Once Alex reached the stairs that seemed to go on forever, all the way to the top, he sniffed in contempt and did not bother to climb the stairs, preferring to warp up instead. He had plenty of Psynergy at his disposal and did not wish to waste time walking up stairs which would serve very little purpose, if any at all. Alex next found himself standing in front of an open door, a blood stained basin next to it. Peering through the door, Alex smirked as he saw Mia and her companions standing there.

"What do we have here? A little gathering?" Alex spoke, walking into the room and startling the people present. He stopped, looking slowly at each of them with a chilling smile. Everyone looked back with expressions of shock and fury. "So Mia is here today with her friends and surely she has the Teardrops of Luna with her, if she's come all the way up here. I suppose today must be my lucky day."

"Alex!" Mia hissed, her blue eyes narrowing to slits as she looked upon the person she believed she loathed most of all in the whole of Weyard, although the way she was feeling about Prox at the moment, they came pretty close as well but she was more scared of Prox than hateful, she couldn't possibly be scared of a jerk like Alex. "What are you doing here?"

"If you've come to take the Teardrops of Luna from us or even capture Mia, we won't let you!" Isaac's hand flew to the hilt of his axe and gripped it tightly in order to emphasise his point.

"You pathetic fool." Alex chuckled softly, shaking his head. He reached into his pocket and drew out the three jewels which gleamed with fiery orange light, displaying them proudly to the stunned Adepts. "See? I have brought the Flames of Sol along with me so now we have a complete set and I can claim the power I have wished for for so long now."

"So that's why you came here?" Jenna exclaimed angrily. "To attempt to claim the power for yourself? You really are an evil monster!"

"Did Prox actually gave those to you?" Felix asked doubtfully, staring in horror at the fiery crystals lying snug in the palm of Alex's gloved hand. How could he have come to be in sole possession of what were surely Prox's most precious artifacts?

"Not exactly." Alex sneered, walking around the group and taking his position at the other side of the plinth, glancing at the three hollows where the Flames could be placed. "Prox changed without warning. They suddenly became soft and weak-hearted, theydidn't want to do any more 'bad' stuff like raiding cities and taking people and treasures. Pathetic wimps. I wasn't very impressed with them naturally, so I rightfully stole the Flames from them."

"You jerk!" Mia exclaimed in astonishment, unable to believe that Alex could so easily turn on the people he'd betrayed Imil by joining with in the first place. Was he even on anyone's side at all? Evidently, he was only on his own side. "Even if Prox had done wrong, they still atoned for it and you stole from them. Despite the fact they must have trusted you, they let you become one of their warriors, and in the end you were only using them for your petty greed? You robbed them... you..."

"That's wrong!" Garet shouted at the male Mercurian. "Stealing is wrong and you're not going to get away with it. You're not going to get the power either... hang on..." He stopped, frowning in anxiety. "If Alex is going to try and get it, does this mean that Mia has to battle after all?"

"Mia, do you think you can do that?" Isaac looked at her. His expression betrayed his deep concern for her. Was Mia really ready to defend the world?

"Yes. I am going to battle him," Mia said determinedly, taking a step forward and looking steadily at Alex. "There is no way I will allow Alex to get his dirty hands on the power and use it for evil." She approached the plint, her eyes narrowing in cold fury aimed toward the man who had hurt her so much. He had once been her closest friend, but now he was her despised enemy. "For all the wrongs you've done, for being a traitor, I must punish you. I will not allow you to get the combined power of the Tears and Flames." Sherested her hands on the plinth, looking towards Felix. "You have got the Teardrops on you, haven't you?"

"Are you sure about this, Mia?" Jenna exclaimed. "You don't know what this fight is going to be like. It could be dangerous."

"When the world is at stake, it doesn't matter," Mia said, glancing at her with a fierce look. "I must do this, whatever the consequences are." She looked back at Felix.

"I've got the Teardrops right here," Felix replied, sounding somewhat reluctant as it seemed that Mia would definitely have to battle Alex now and everybody, him included, was apprehensive about it. Whatever would Mia have to do in order to stop Alex? He reached into a pocket and took out the Teardrops, walking over and handing them to Mia before walking back to stand next to the others.

"Thank you." Mia tightened her hold on the blue crystals, placing them against her chest and inhaling deeply. "Alex, I take it you mean to use the Flames of Sol to grant yourself temporary power for the battle. I will be using the Teardrops of Luna, and as the scripture and song say, we must battle so that I can prevent you from getting what you desire."

"I am looking forward to defeating you and ending your miserable life," Alex said contemptuously, stepping up to the plinth and matching her gaze levelly. "I will also take your friends' lives when I am done. Take it as a blessing, all of you. You won't get the chance to see your beloved world be changed to my will."

"Dream on, Alex. That is definitely not happening," Mia spat coldly. "I intend to win this battle to protect Weyard from you. You won't get what you want."

"Your bravado won't be enough to ensure your victory." Alex sniffed. "Well, I'll be quick to dispose of the lot of you when this battle is over and then I'll concentrate on using my power however I wish. Are you ready, my 'dear' Mia?" His mouth stretched into a cruel smirk.

"Ready as I'll ever be!" Mia screamed, slamming one of the Tears into a hollow. Alex smiled wider and also proceeded to insert one of the Flames. Mia slotted in the next two crystals as did Alex, and they placed their hands over the crystals, meeting each other's gazes as they waited for something to happen, willing the Tears and Flames to give them the power to battle each other. Mia concentrated on her desire to punish him for what he had done and Alex focused on his own wish to be able to claim his sought after power.

A blue light shot up from the ground to surround Mia, twinned by an orange light surrounding Alex. The two rays of light surrounding the Mercury Adepts merged together above the plinth, turning a deep purplish colour. Mia and Alex were frozen to the spot as they felt the respective powers contained within the crystals surging through them. The ray of light in the middle shot up through the peak of the mountain and caused a gaping hole to appear, rocks flying in numerous directions and slabs of earth falling to the ground where they stood.

"It isn't safe in here!" Felix exclaimed in shock as a slab of earth crashed to his left. "We're going to get crushed if we stay in this room!"

"I knew I should have stayed back and not gone up those stairs," Garet muttered, praying that the falling rocks wouldn't hit him.

"What should we do?" Jenna nervously edged toward Garet as more rocks hit the ground near her. "Should we get out of here before it's too late?"

"But what about Mia?" Isaac cried out, his gaze fixed on the place where Mia and Alex stood, channeling power. He was unable to help her now, he could only watch as she faded away in the darkening blue light, Alex also fading in the orange glow that became repeatedly darker, almost red. The light soon faded away and he gasped at the sight before him, something that had certainly been unexpected.

A dragon, standing where Alex had previously been, reared up and let out a mighty roar. Its scales were deep silver with a hint of blue and it had bright sapphire eyes, large wings that spanned the length of its body, and a long tapering tail that slammed on the ground, causing more rocks to become dislodged from their foundations. Then the dragon took to the sky, causing the hole to widen.

Where Mia had been standing, there was now an unfamiliar lady, much taller than them with long feathered wings protruding from her back, a long floaty blue dress, silver-blue hair that fell past her waist and startling blue eyes which she turned upon the small group, who were rapidly in danger of becoming crushed underneath the falling rocks, the situation having been worsened by the dragon flying out of the mountain. At that moment, a large slab of earth came loose right above Isaac, Garet, Jenna and Felix and came plummeting toward them. They all looked up, crying out as they stared up at what they believed to be their oncoming death. There was no time to get away before it struck.

The woman acted quickly, darting forwards and shattering the falling slab of earth into millions of tiny pieces. She spread her body out, sheltering Felix, Garet and Isaac from the hail of small earth fragments that would have hit them otherwise. They sighed in relief and looked expectantly at the woman who had previously been Mia. She did not say anything, simply disappearing in a shower of lights along with them, leaving the chamber empty. The rocks soon ceased to fall, and the plinth was left bare to the elements, the crystals still deeply embedded in the hollows and devoid of the light they once possessed.

The people of Vale could not possibly have imagined that they would ever see what they saw that day. The first sign that something was wrong was the tremendous earthquake that shook the entire village. Fortunately, nothing was damaged, yet it was enough to alarm the villagers. The people outside were even more horrified to see the top of Mt. Aleph burst open in a flurry of rocks that harmlessly rolled down the mountainside and came to a stop at the foot of the mountain. A few strayed as far as the village but caused very little damage and nobody was hurt.

For a moment, everything was calm and the Valeans looked warily at the mountain. Gasps of shock rose from the frightened crowds as a majestic dragon appeared at the very top. People screamed and ran for cover, fearing the worst as they saw the dragon then take flight, soaring through the sky, beating its wings on the air as it flew gracefully over Vale. It flew outside the boundaries of the village, its eyes meeting with those of a tall, winged woman hovering in the air. Four Adepts stood on the ground far below, gaping in shock as they watched the proceedings.

"This is crazy!" Garet exclaimed, shaking wildly as he stared up at the dragon with large, wide eyes. "I can't believe that we are actually seeing a dragon and Mia is fighting the dragon! Is that giant lady supposed to be Luna or something?"

"I think so," Jenna replied, nervously watching the two figures hovering in the air. "Mia and Alex used the power of Luna's Tears and Sol's Flames in order to transform, so I think they must have taken on the forms of Luna and Sol themselves."

"The embodiments of Luna and Sol, huh?" Felix wearily shook his head. He was having trouble believing that he was actually seeing all this, but knew that it was true. "So, they are about to start battling each other like that, it seems. The fate of the world is hanging in the balance. I just hope Mia can win the battle and save the world from Alex. Who knows what he is hoping to do with Weyard?" He shuddered at the thought. It certainly didn't sound pleasant.

"I hope Mia is going to be okay," Isaac said anxiously, clenching his fists as he looked up at the form of Luna. She was now slowly rising higher in the air until she was on the same level as her foe and faced the dragon, the very embodiment of Sol, who let out a triumphant roar upon seeing his opponent rise to meet him.

Sol and Luna began to circle around each other in the air, waiting for each other to make the first strike. Luna hovered closer, but the dragon moved to the side, rearing up and charging up a large blue ball of flame in its mouth. Luna twitched and waited for the blow to come, but it did not come to her, as the dragon spat the flaming ball of blue fire out toward Vale.

The four Adepts watching from below cried out in horror as they watched the fireball darting towards Vale. The lethal fireball that was nearly twice the size of the village itself and would surely engulf Vale and Mt. Aleph, razing them to cinders and leaving no survivors. Upon impact, their families and friends would surely be killed instantly and left dead in the smouldering ashes of Vale's ruins. They would be left with nothing, unless the blaze took them too and that would be it, the only Valeans left would be in Prox and nobody would be around to go and get them.

Luna promptly disappeared and appeared again in front of the fireball, reaching out with her hands and halting it in her tracks. The force of the fireball's movement was enough to send her skidding back in the air as she held it off. She then shoved it back, sending it heading towards Sol. Sol slashed with a clawed limb and split the fireball in several smaller fireballs that flew into random directions, crashing into mountains and trees in the surrounding area. Luckily for the village, none of them hit it.

"Whew, thank goodness Luna was able to stop it," Isaac said, sighing in relief and wiping his brow. "For a moment I was so scared that Vale was about to be destroyed and we would be alone. Nobody could have survived a fireball like that."

"Yeah... I'm so glad she stopped it." Garet was almost feeling weak at the knees from the shock of everything. Crazed dragons that would destroy the village on a whim were just too much for him. Then there was the added anxiety of wondering if Mia would be able to win this battle after all.

"This fight is really intense," Jenna whispered, her voice shaking slightly as she stared up at the battle in horrified fascination. She flinched as the dragon charged at Luna and raked claws down her leg, causing her to retaliate by slashing with her hand, blue light coursing from her fingernails in vivid cobalt streaks which cut cleanly through the scales. "It's hard to watch."

"They don't really seem to be doing anything to each other yet, just scratching and biting. I wonder if they are holding back for some reason?" Felix spoke.

"I guess they are probably testing each other's strength." Isaac watched intently, pained to watch Luna being hurt in this way, he was sure that it meant Mia was being hurt too as that was technically her up there fighting against Alex. They were simply assuming different forms for the battle, more powerful forms that was given to them by the power contained in the crystals. He was also concerned about what this might be doing to Mia. It surely had to take a great amount of energy to be able to assume that form so Mia might not be able to handle it for too long, he thought.

The Adepts fell silent as they focused their full attention on the raging battle taking place above them. Several other Valeans watched from the plaza, amazed to see this great battle which involved a rarely-seen dragon, a battle that people be talked about for some time. Blue fireballs flew through the sky, the wind blew harshly and the many forms of water were also used. The battle could even be seen from Vault, but all the people in Vault could see were two objects hovering around in the sky that could be very large birds for all they knew, except the occasional flashes of blue told them it wasn't normal.

Sol and Luna battled tirelessly, battling for life or death, world conquest, or peace and harmony just as the song had said would come to pass. It was the exact same battle the song and the scripture passed down through the royal line of Mercury had told of. The prophesized legend was happening before people's eyes as the battle that would either save Weyard or send it to its doom raged on.

Time and time again, Sol or Luna would injure each other but neither of them ever ended up the worse for it. They constantly dived back into the fray to try and cause new wounds, biting and scratching their way to possible victory. Sol usually spat blue fire which Luna would simply deflect or shatter, before retaliating with wind, that tended to just blow Sol back, or water which seemed to simply drench him. Neither of them grew tired of it however. Alex was eager for power, Mia was eager to punish him, and they were certainly not on the verge of giving up, no matter how much pain either of them was caused.

After a long while of Sol and Luna carrying on with the same tactics which never seemed to work, Luna shifted positions, disappearing and appearing in a different place. She placed her hands together and slowly drew them apart, what looked like a small ball of blue light forming in her palms. She drew her palms further apart, causing the ball of light to become even bigger, large enough to possibly raze a tree to the ground. Once Luna's arms were far apart and she had formed a sphere the size of her torso, she darted towards Sol, holding it out in front of her. Sol roared and charged forwards, not caring as the sphere razed through him, Luna using all her power to concentrate on trying to destroy him, letting out a chilling war cry as she did so. It was as if she had put every last drop of her energy into trying to defeat him. Sol roared again, this time in agony, and the two drew apart, holding still in the air.

The Adepts watched on in confusion as the forms of Sol and Luna began to flicker rapidly. What was happening now? It didn't seem as if they were about to attack each other again. Then, before their eyes, the woman and the dragon began plummeting from the sky. The four Valeans gasped as they watched the two falling like stones, rapidly losing their forms as they did so, before crashing into a nearby copse of trees. A terrifying silence followed as they looked toward the trees, wondering what had just happened before their eyes.

"They fell just now..." Garet said quietly, his eyes widening. "It happened so fast. There wasn't even anything we could do."

"It looked like Mia and Alex had turned back into themselves as they were falling," Felix said. "I think they ran out of power or energy. They couldn't continue the battle."

"That fall looked pretty nasty." Jenna gulped, fearing the worst. "Do you think Mia is alright? I hope she wasn't hurt."

"Mia!" Isaac started hurrying toward the distant group of trees. He prayed that he could get there in time. Mia could have been badly hurt for all he knew. Felix, Garet and Jenna hurried after him, anxious about what they would find waiting for them in the trees. Mia, alive and safe, or something else?

Mia lay on the ground, groaning in pain and exhaustion. Various cuts and aches were making themselves felt all over her body. She could barely move or keep her eyes open. Where was she? With an effort, she was able to move her head and look around to see the trees that surrounded her. Mia faintly remembered the sensation of falling and hitting the ground. Was that how the battle had ended? She didn't remember much of it at all. Had she really turned into Luna? Alex had turned into a dragon... then that must have been Sol.

If she was here, then where was Alex? Was he still alive? A cough alerted her to a presence behind her. Mia weakly raised her head to see Alex crawling forward, blood dribbling from his mouth. A nasty gash ran across his chest. She looked into his eyes, seeing nothing but pure hatred and the desire to harm her. His desire was so intense that he was even forcing himself to move, to finish her off... Mia struggled to move, terror surging through her. She was too tired to move or even cast Psynergy. It would be easy for Alex to kill her right here.

"I won't... be stopped here..." Alex's mouth twisted into a maniacal grin as he pulled himself toward her, coming even closer. "I will get power... and nobody will ever look down on me," he whispered, a crazed light shining in his eyes. "I won't let you get in my way, Mia."

"No," Mia whimpered, her entire body screaming in pain as she struggled to get away from him. She was just too tired and so sore that she couldn't even move. How was Alex even able to move in his state? He should have been just like her, almost paralysed from lack of energy and the injuries he had suffered in battle.

"Die," Alex hissed, reaching out and wrapping his hands around her neck. Mia gasped as he began squeezing with surprising strength, choking her. She weakly raised a hand, but it fell down again. She had no strength left in herself. He was going to kill her right here. Her eyes welled up with tears, her mouth gaping open as she struggled to breathe. Darkness crept in at the edges of her vision.

Mia then heard the sound of approaching footsteps and a loud shout. She could hardly see anything as her vision blurred, but she felt the weight coming away from her neck. Mia frantically gasped in air, turning her head to see Alex on the ground, an axe deeply embedded in his back. Isaac was still holding onto the hilt, a fierce expression on his face.

"Trying to kill her even when the battle is over? You've got some nerve!" Isaac exclaimed angrily, wrenching out the axe. Blood spurted out from the wound in Alex's back and he slumped across the ground, his eyes rapidly glazing over. Mia shuddered as she looked into his frozen expression, twisted with anger. At least he was dead now. There was nothing to be scared of anymore. "Mia, are you alright?" Isaac asked anxiously, rushing over to hold her in his arms.

"Isaac..." Mia whispered, sounding fatigued. Exhaustion was taking its toll on her body and she was quite sure she was about to fall asleep in his arms. She gazed weakly into his warm, blue eyes with a ghost of a smile on her face. "Are you... my guardian angel?" Her eyes slowly slid shut as she passed into blessed slumber. The last thing she saw was Isaac, his face framed by a halo of golden hair as he looked down at her.

Isaac remained still for a moment as he held her, gazing fondly at her peaceful face. He was so relieved that after all this, she was alive. She appeared to have suffered some injuries and was exhausted as a result of the battle, but it was nothing that couldn't be healed. After a good rest, she would be fine.

"Isaac? Is she alright?" Jenna called out, approaching with Garet and Felix close behind her. They looked around, taking notice of Alex's body and Mia sleeping peacefully within Isaac's arms.

"Mia is fine," Isaac replied, reaching out to push some tousled strands of blue hair away from Mia's face. "She's just exhausted and seems to have suffered some injuries from the battle, but she will be alright."

"So Alex is dead, huh?" Garet gave the body a sharp kick in contempt. "Good. It serves the asshole right, trying to take over the world and betraying people. Ugh."

"It looks like everything is over now," Felix said happily. "With the Teardrops, and even the Flames, safe in Mt. Aleph and Alex gone, as well as Prox's turning over a new leaf, we don't have anything to worry about. We can concentrate on trying to bring everyone back home."

"Yes. It's all over now." Isaac got to his feet, holding Mia carefully in his arms. He turned away, walking towards Vale, scarcely taking his eyes off the sleeping girl in his arms. Mia was content in her peaceful slumber, she was in the arms of her angel and everything was fine. There was nothing to worry about anymore. Garet, Felix and Jenna followed him out of the trees, leaving the body of Alex alone where he had been defeated for good.


	26. Chapter 26

**Vision**

* * *

Plenty of shipping in this chapter. Shipping is good. 

Camelot owns Golden Sun.

* * *

"Oh, Isaac, you came back safely?" Kyle asked, seeing Isaac come through the door in a hurry with Mia in his arms. "Thank goodness. Your mother and I were quite worried about you all inside that mountain." He glanced down at the unconscious girl. "What happened to her?" 

"Did you not see the fight outside?" Isaac asked. Everyone in Vale had been almost in a panic, talking about the dragon and that strange woman battling so close to the village, but they understood that the battle was over now. Still, seeing a dragon had been very unsettling and frightening to them. "All of Vale is talking about it."

"Your mother went outside to see what was going on, but I didn't think anything was really happening apart from that strange earthquake so I didn't go outside. Did I miss something?" his father asked, looking concerned.

"Oh, don't worry. Mom will tell you all about it. I'm sure you'll be quite surprised," Isaac murmured, looking down at Mia's calm face. "Anyway, I'd better put her to bed. She really needs to rest now." Without another word, he walked to the guest room, taking extra care not to disturb her as he gently lay her down on the bed and pulled the sheets over her body. Isaac then cast his strongest healing Psynergy on her, hoping that would be enough. He did not want Mia to be in pain when she awoke after all. Those injuries, while not life threatening, had looked quite nasty.

"Mia..." Isaac said softly, sitting down on the side of the bed and gazing down at her. He felt a pang in his chest as he watched her quietly sleep. Why had he allowed her to go through with such a dangerous battle? Surely they should all have assumed responsibility for taking down Alex himself. Mia shouldn't have had to go through it alone, end up injured and exhausted as a result, and almost been murdered. He couldn't help feeling that it was his own fault Mia had been hurt. "I'm so sorry. I let you get hurt," he whispered, reaching out and stroking her face. Isaac swore he would never let her get hurt again, no matter what he had to do to prevent it.

At least he could be thankful for the fact that Alex was dead and, according to him, Prox had changed. That surely meant they wouldn't attempt to capture Mia anymore and wouldn't be trying to take the power either, which had been what invoked Alex's rage and betrayal. Mia no longer had any troubles to burden her and would be free of worry now. However, that wouldn't erase the pain inside of her. Mia had lost not only family, but friends as well. Alex had been a friend of hers, no, to her he had been a bit more than that, but in the end he had turned against her. Isaac couldn't even begin to imagine how much that had hurt her.

* * *

"That was quite a dramatic battle, wasn't it?" Jenna asked, glancing at Garet. He had barely said anything in the past few minutes they had been standing around in the plaza, among the throngs of reeling Valeans. Nobody had expected to ever see such a battle going on, especially between a dragon and a very tall woman in the sky. 

"You know what I think? I never want to see anything like that again. It was just way too scary to watch," Garet replied, sighing heavily. "We were all pretty worried about Mia too. I sure hope she wouldn't have to do anything like that again, but with Alex gone, I doubt she will have to."

"Mia really is a brave person," Jenna commented. "Taking on responsibility like that and going straight into a battle even though she really had no idea what it was going to be like. I'm glad that she got out of it alright, even though she had injuries afterward, but it wasn't anything that couldn't be healed, right?"

"The Teardrops of Luna and the Flames of Sol are both still inside Mt. Aleph, so they should be safe there and nobody else will be attempting to take over the world. At least, I hope," Garet said. "It's still forbidden to go into Mt. Aleph after all. Think we should tell people the truth about what's inside there or just pretend the stories about it being dangerous were true?"

"I don't think anybody is going to want to go in there after seeing a dragon burst out of the top, so we shouldn't have to worry about anyone going inside," Jenna responded. "I think we can tell everyone the truth. I was pretty surprised to see it wasn't that dangerous after all. The stories really were just made up."

"Oh, I'm sure people could still die on those stairs," Garet said sourly, frowning at the memory of that long and narrow staircase. He never wanted to go up there again. A brief silence passed. "So, now that all this stuff is over with the Teardrops and Mia's safe and everything, we can go back to Prox, right?"

"Oh, yeah. I don't think we'll have to worry about fighting anyone if Prox has decided to turn good. They will let go of their slaves, right?" Jenna looked hopeful. "So all we'll have to do is go there and get everyone, then bring them back. I wonder what it was that caused Prox's sudden change of heart though."

"Maybe they finally decided they'd caused enough trouble for everyone. I wish they hadn't even bothered in the first place but like you said before, they were going through a really hard time, right?" Garet sighed. "So, what exactly happened on that day? I mean, you left the tunnel and then you were gone and Isaac's toy was all burned up. How did that happen?"

"Oh, that... well, I went out of the tunnel as you know," Jenna said quietly, gazing down at her feet with a sad expression. "It was really scary out there. I didn't expect to see people with red eyes and pointy ears running around attacking everyone. I guess I should have run back to the tunnel, but I panicked. I was so scared. Then a Proxian woman grabbed me and started dragging me away." She paused, drawing in a shaky breath. "I dropped the rabbit and called out for it... that sounds silly, doesn't it? But, you know, I was really scared..."

"Yeah, I can see why you'd do that," Garet said, trying to save her from further embarassment. "So did that woman burn it then?"

"That's right, she set fire to it," Jenna answered. "Those Proxian people are really cruel, aren't they? I called for help, but nobody tried to help me and I was taken out of the village along with everyone else... nobody could help us. The Proxians had us travelling for ages, even when we were weary and tired, and we went over the sea. We waited for so long, hoping that someone would come and rescue us, but the years passed by and it seemed so hopeless."

"Nobody in the village was skilled enough to even take down one of those warriors, so the only option was for some of us to start training, even if it took eight years. I wish something could have been done sooner, but it wasn't even possible," Garet said. "I hated it too. Waiting for so long, wondering what was happening wherever you all were... we had no idea what you were going through."

"Everyone is alive at least. That much, I'm sure of," Jenna said, smiling as she turned to him. "So, everyone who was taken will be returning to Vale. We were too special to Prox for them to let anything happen to us. That's the most important thing. They all get to come home at last."

"I'm really glad you were able to come back with us, even if we kind of didn't know it was you at first." Garet smiled back. "I missed you so much when you were gone. All the time I would think about you and wonder what you were doing at that moment. I wished more than anything you were back with us."

"I should never have even left that tunnel." Jenna sighed and hung her head. "Felix blamed himself for me getting taken away by Prox, but really, it was all my fault. I practically offered myself to those Proxians."

"Hey, now, it wasn't your fault at all," Garet protested, reaching out and cupping her chin, gently raising her face so that she looked at him. "Don't blame yourself for it, alright? None of us thought those crazy people would be kidnapping children, did we? What's important is that you're home again and we don't have to worry about Prox harming us anymore. It's over."

"But I still think about how I should have stayed put with the three of you and then I wouldn't have been held hostage, lost all those years I spent as a slave in Prox... even losing my memory for almost half of it." Jenna frowned unhappily.

"There's no point in thinking about it so much. You can't change the past," Garet said. "Just look forward to the future we have now, alright? I don't want to see you being unhappy. It doesn't suit you at all."

"I'm sorry." Jenna shook her head. "It's just after getting back my memories and remembering everything I've been missing all this time, it's a bit harder to cope with." She fell silent, a thoughtful look on her face. "I wonder if the others in Prox noticed that I was gone. I don't know what I'm going to tell them. I bet they would be jealous of me, getting to see you guys and even come back home sooner."

"I'm sure they will understand." Garet leaned down and kissed her on the lips. "I'm glad you did."

"I'm glad too." Jenna smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him back.

* * *

Upon coming back to the village, Felix had decided it would be a good idea to go to the sanctum and speak to the elders. They hadn't actually seen anyone leaving Mt. Aleph and had no idea if anyone was still inside or not, and wouldn't be aware of the very important relics now inside that mountain. Mt. Aleph was already off-limits, but he would at least be giving them a very good reason for it. 

When he entered the sanctum, he was surprised to see an Elder lying on the floor clad in blankets stained with blood, a pained expression on his face. The Great Healer was standing over him, administering some healing Psynergy to help with his injuries, as the other Elders stood in the background and watched on, looking worried.

"What happened to him?" Felix asked. He noticed that there was a lot of blood staining the blankets and there was probably even more underneath. Someone must have severely attacked the Elder, but who would do such a thing?

"We are not sure," the Great Healer answered, ceasing to use Psynergy. The injured Elder moaned and stirred slightly, his face furrowing in a frown. "Cyrus here was found lying on the path that leads towards Mt. Aleph, lying in a pool of his blood. He is stable now, thank goodness. I shudder to think what might have happened had we not found him any sooner." He looked up at Felix. "Oh, weren't you in the group that went to Mt. Aleph?"

"We're definitely not letting any more people into Mt. Aleph if dragons are going to pop up and scare the life out of the villagers," an Elder muttered crossly, shaking his head. "The entire village was in a panic. Just what happened in there?"

"Attacked near Mt. Aleph?" Felix realised what must have happened. Of course, someone must have attacked the Elder while heading toward Mt. Aleph and that could only have been a certain person who had come in after them. "I think I know who must have attacked him. It definitely wasn't anyone who was with us."

"You know who did it?" another Elder asked. "Tell us, then we shall punish them for striking down an Elder."

"It wasn't anyone in Vale either. It was this person pursuing our group, who was trying to get a hold of an incredible power. He was a Mercury Adept from the north of Angara, but I don't really know more than that," Felix explained. "He followed us and then became that dragon, and the battle happened. It resulted in his death so you won't have to worry about that person anymore."

"Well, that is certainly a relief," said the Great Healer, shaking his head. "I doubt I can even begin to understand what happened inside that mountain. A dragon coming out of it was very unexpected. Did everyone make it out safely? There isn't anyone still in there?"

"We all made it out, just not out the entrance," Felix replied. "Everyone is fine. But you should continue to make sure Mt. Aleph is guarded and nobody goes in. It's not as dangerous as the stories made it out to be, but now there are very important relics inside that people could actually use to get incredible power. This power would be disastrous in the hands of the wrong people."

"Very well. We will continue to make sure Mt. Aleph is guarded," said the Great Healer, though he looked slightly taken aback at the idea of such powerful relics now being within Mt. Aleph. It seemed guarding the mountain was more important than ever now. "I suppose that is what Cyrus was doing before. He may have seen that person coming toward Mt. Aleph and attempted to stop him. They must have been a powerful Adept to take down an Elder."

"Yeah..." Felix sighed. How could that Alex have simply struck down a weaker person like that, and not only that, he had even attempted to seize a great power. It was quite fortunate he had been defeated in the end. Weyard didn't need people like him. "Well, I'm glad he's alright." He turned and walked out of the sanctum, briefly looking up at Mt. Aleph. It was still hard to believe what had happened since going in there. Nobody had been expecting an immediate battle after all.

* * *

Mia had been dreaming for a while, of happier times before Prox's rampage on her city. She had been reliving the past, when her father was still alive and Alex hadn't turned against them. Everything had been so happy and carefree and she hadn't wanted it to end, but now it was, as she drifted out of her sleep and into consciousness. The harsh truth came crashing back. Her father was dead, Imil partially in ruins and Alex had ended up trying to kill her. Mia weakly opened her eyes, gazing up at the ceiling with a sad expression. How had everything come to this? She wanted her past back, but she knew that nothing would ever be the same again and it hurt deeply. 

"Mia?" Isaac had been sitting on a chair by her bed the whole time she was asleep and just noticed that she was moving. He leaned over, seeing that she was indeed awake. "You've been asleep a while," he said as Mia turned her head to look at him. "So, how are you feeling after that battle? It took a lot out of you, didn't it?"

"Yeah... it did," Mia said softly, biting down on her lower lip. How could it have happened? Alex had even betrayed Prox, come to Vale to try and achieve the power himself and attempted to murder her. It was too painful to think about. "I could hardly even move after it was over. And then Alex... he..." She broke off, her eyes stinging.

"I know," Isaac murmured, reaching out to take her hand in his and squeezing it gently. "He was a monster. I can't believe he tried to do that to you. But you're okay now, right? Physically, at least? You suffered some nasty injuries from that battle."

"I hardly remember it at all. I mean, I was practically being possessed by Luna. That battle, it was more of a battle between Sol and Luna than it was between Alex and I," said Mia, looking back at the ceiling sadly. "I think Luna ended up hurting Sol pretty badly, then we ran out of power so we couldn't hold the transformations anymore... and we fell... right? Then Alex tried to finish me off with his own hands."

"He's dead now," Isaac said quietly, wondering how Mia really felt about it. Sure, he had been a monster who turned against his city, then turned against the very people he had betrayed his city for, and even tried to kill Mia, but would Mia grieve for the person he had once been long before Prox ever came to Imil? Mia had spoken of feelings she once had for him after all. "I finished him off when he was trying to kill you. You remember it, don't you?"

"Yeah." Mia looked into Isaac's eyes, a smile on her face. "You saved me. Isaac... I'm so glad that I have someone like you looking out for me. I know that I can trust you. You would never turn against me."

"Of course I wouldn't," Isaac insisted, smiling back. "I would never do anything to hurt you, Mia. I care about you a lot. In fact... I wish I hadn't even let you battle Alex. You were so pained and exhausted after that battle. I hated seeing you like that. It's like I let you get hurt."

"No, Isaac. I had to do it. Not just for the world, but to give Alex the punishment he deserved," Mia said sternly. "It isn't your fault. I chose to battle him out of my own will. Alex had become corrupted by greed and the thirst for power. He was no longer the Alex I once knew, so I had to teach him a lesson. Anyway, you came for me in the end, Isaac. You're like my guardian angel."

"Heh... if you say so," Isaac said, recalling that he had often dreamed of an angel. He scarcely remembered what this angel looked like, but she had often come to him while he slept. "Do you believe in actual guardian angels, Mia?"

"Sure." Mia let go of his hand and shifted into a sitting position, placing her arms in her lap as she leaned over. "In fact, I think I have an actual one. I can't remember what he looks like, but he comes to me in my dreams and brings me comfort when I am feeling sad. I think he's been around a while now."

"Really?" Isaac's eyes widened. So Mia had the same kind of dreams as he did? So he wasn't alone with these strange dreams after all. "That's funny, because I dream of an angel as well. With me, it's a woman, though. I don't remember what she looks like, but she's supposed to be really pretty."

"That's interesting. We probably aren't the only people who dream of them," Mia said, reaching up to tuck a stray strand of blue hair behind her ear. "I am sure there are other people who have them too, but I can't help but feel it's supposed to be some kind of connection between us. What do you think? Maybe I'm just crazy."

"No," Isaac said quickly. "I definitely don't think you are crazy, Mia. Perhaps it does mean something after all. Actually, now that I think about it, I remember that my angel has blue hair. It's pretty memorable since blue hair isn't all that common, you know? Perhaps she's supposed to look like you, but that would be quite a coincidence, wouldn't it?"

"Huh, really?" Mia looked at him in surprise. "Yeah, I don't know many other people with blue hair either. Maybe I am your angel. Still, I don't know how that would be possible if we were each other's angels, you know? We've been having these dreams since we were children, right?"

"Yeah, that's true. I don't think it's really supposed to make sense." Isaac sat back, exhaling heavily. "Just something that we will never understand. I would happily protect you, now and for the rest of our lives."

"The rest of our lives?" Mia echoed, flushing slightly. Isaac got up and moved over to sit on the bed next to her. She was suddenly aware of how close he was and her blush deepened. "What do you mean by that?"

"I love you, Mia," Isaac murmured, reaching out and gently gripping her face with his hands. He then leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips, before moving back and gazing into her sapphire eyes.

"Isaac..." Mia broke into a wide smile, suddenly aware of a bursting feeling in her chest. She knew instantly that she also shared Isaac's feelings, which she made clear as she put her arms around him and leaned in for another kiss. The two embraced passionately, sealing their love with a long, slow kiss.

* * *

A throng of curious Valeans had now gathered around Garet and Jenna, eager to hear the stories that they had to tell, or rather Garet, as he had taken on the position of storyteller while Jenna was listening to his stories of their adventure. 

"And we had to fight off all these thieves in this city," Garet said, talking animatedly. "I was taking on ten of them at once. They all fell in an instant. I just set fire to them and they went down just like that. Oh, but it wasn't as cool as that battle against a giant merman with this huge trident that would basically throw the ocean at us. I swear, we were barely hanging on to our lives before the battle was over."

"Really?" Jenna interrupted, raising an eyebrow. "I don't remember it being quite that bad. Will you at least stick to the facts?"

"Aw, come on, they like my stories," Garet protested, throwing her an injured look. He turned back to the crowds. "Or how about when we had to fight a bunch of Wind Adepts? They were all really powerful-"

"Garet." Jenna sighed and shook her head in frustration. "You know that we only fought one and we only beat her by taking a circlet off her head."

The crowd of Valeans began to mutter, looking suspiciously at Garet.

"Well, okay, so maybe we weren't quite almost killed by the giant merman and there was only one Jupiter Adept." Garet pouted, crossing his arms and looking haughty. "But I got to see a real King. Right, Jenna? We met the King of Lemuria."

"That, we did. It was just too bad we couldn't go into Lemuria." Jenna sighed. "But at least Mia told us everything about it. Well, uh..." She turned back to the crowd. "Garet's pretty much told you most of the exciting stuff now, so we're going now. You're hungry right, Garet? I think it's about lunchtime now."

"Hey, yeah, I'm getting quite peckish. Let's go and eat lunch already," replied Garet. The two quickly left the crowd alone as they hurried away together.

* * *

Later in the afternoon, Felix, Jenna, Isaac, Garet and Mia were all together for the first time since before the battle, sitting outside together in the plaza by the softly shining Psynergy Stone that sparkled in the sunlight bouncing off it. It was calm and quiet around them as people were still in their homes or elsewhere, so the Adepts were able to talk to each other uninterrupted and free of disturbances. 

"It's so calm now, isn't it?" Isaac rested his head on his hands and gazed up at the clear sky, a smile on his face. "Today was utter chaos. First there was that earthquake everyone except us felt, but we were inside a crumbling mountain which was probably even worse. The dragon and that raging battle didn't help matters any. But now it's all over and everything's just nice and quiet now, the way it should be."

"Of course, our actual quest not over yet though." Jenna glanced over at Garet. "We have to go and get your sister and the other people from Prox of course, which we must do as soon as possible."

"Yeah, we're going to go straight over there and get them," Garet said, looking hopeful. "It should be easier than last time, right? I mean, it's going to be different this time, isn't it?"

"Well, I should certainly hope so, if that Alex wasn't just lying to us," Felix said. Garet looked at him in confusion. "He wasn't a nice guy, but I'm not sure if he had anything to gain from lying about that. Alex said that Prox changed and if it's true, then they should at least be nice enough to let us in and let people go, don't you think?" Garet grinned and nodded. "I just hope nobody else's suffering from amnesia."

"Hey!" Jenna exclaimed, looking slightly put out. "It's not like everyone is prone to falling from high places. I was just a little clumsy. I don't think I was very careful though. I kind of got careless up there, slipped and fell."

"Yeah, that's right." Isaac looked at her. "You fell and hit your head pretty badly, huh? It's probably a miracle that you're alive. A fall like that could easily have killed you. Thank goodness you survived it."

"I know." Jenna glanced down sheepishly, noticing a ladybug creeping through the grass and watching it intently. "Prox wouldn't let their precious slaves die so easily after all. I knew I had to survive to the end and wait until the day you would all come save us. I knew someone would come eventually and you guys did. It was just too bad I'd gone and forgotten my past and chose to hide my identity at first, but I came through in the end."

"Are you okay, Mia?" Isaac asked after a moment of silence, turning to look at the blue haired woman sitting by his side. "You are being very quiet."

"It's just overwhelming." Mia raised her head and sighed heavily. "Everything that's happened... all this with the legend, the battle and everything... and now it's almost over. It's not so long ago that I was just being the Princess of Imil, living out my life in the palace. Alex was good, Father was alive, life was just normal. But then everything changed because of Prox's arrival. Now we're going to Prox tomorrow. I kind of have mixed feelings about going to the very city where the people who murdered my father came from. But of course we have to go, you have loved ones there... friends and family. They are waiting for you to come and save them, then bring them home."

"What are you going to do when all of this is over, Mia?" Jenna asked. Mia looked at her questioningly. "You know, are you going to go back to Imil? Since you're the Princess, you probably have to, don't you?"

"I don't know yet." Mia looked away, an anxious expression on her face. She had been thinking about it for a while now. Of course her duty was important. Imil needed her since they no longer had their King and she was the one who was supposed to step up and take the throne. Yet, she wanted to stay with Isaac and everyone else. Mia couldn't begin to think of not being with Isaac anymore. "I suppose I should go back to Imil, it's what everyone would expect of me, but..."

"You probably have to go back, don't you?" Garet asked. "If you're supposed to become Queen, that doesn't sound like something you can slack off of. We would really miss you if you had to return though. Oh, and Vale's a really nice place to live too."

"Don't pressure her," Felix protested, shooting a warning look at Garet. "It's Mia's decision in the end."

"Yeah... you can decide however you want," Isaac said, though he couldn't help but look sad at the thought of Mia leaving them. "In the end, it's your choice, Mia. But first, let's just think about what we've got to do next. We have to go to Prox and get everyone back. I think Alex might have been telling the truth... why else would he have stolen Prox's treasure? It's going to be alright."

"Yeah." Jenna nodded enthusiastically. "Prox should at least be willing to let go of their slaves, I hope. We'll just go in, find everyone and bring them back home. I can't wait to see the looks on everyone's faces when we come back."

* * *

It was early the next morning, the sun barely having risen, but already a small crowd of Valeans were gathered in the plaza, around the gate. Isaac, Garet, Jenna and Felix were preparing to leave Vale, eager to get to Prox as soon as possible, while their families had to send them off with a farewell. Of course, Mia was also leaving with them Their packs had been newly loaded with provisions and they were ready and raring to depart. 

"Can't I come along?" Aaron yawned widely. He was only half awake, but he hadn't wanted to miss the send-off despite how early it was.

"No, you can't," Garet replied. "It's not going to be that exciting anyway. We'll be sailing for over two days. You would just get really bored."

"Hurry back, okay?" Garet's mother asked, looking hopeful. "You know we can't wait to see your sister again."

"Don't worry, we'll definitely return as soon as we can," Garet answered.

"I really wish you two didn't have to leave again," said Felix and Jenna's mother, sighing wistfully as she looked at her son and daughter.

"It's alright, Mom, we'll be coming back as quickly as possible," Jenna said, smiling. "And then, hopefully, we won't have to leave again."

"Bye, Mom, Dad," Isaac said. He had an arm around Mia's shoulder and she looked quite comfortable standing next to him. Already, Isaac's parents were aware of the development in their relationship so she didn't feel awkward at all, and she was trying not to think about Imil at the moment. Mia just wanted to focus on the time she had with Isaac before she was required to make any decisions.

Now that all the goodbyes had been said, the small group turned away and set off towards the ship, their families watching fondly as they disappeared in the distance. Every Valean watching them leave prayed for their safety and to see the kidnapped people again very soon as they were brought back home.

* * *

"What have you seen, Hama?" Ivan piped up. He was currently kneeling in front of his older sister, Sheba sitting next to him. Hama sat in front of them, her legs crossed and arms folded as she welcomed her latest vision. She blinked and looked around at the two Jupiter Adepts, keeping her expression calm. Sheba was about to repeat Ivan's question when Hama smiled and opened her mouth to speak. 

"It is over," Hama told them delightedly. "Felix and the others have managed to save the world from destruction. I saw a battle between a winged lady and a dragon, the forms of Luna and Sol themselves. It was Mia, with Luna's Tears, who was the lady and I saw the battle end with the man who became the dragon perishing. There is no need to fear anything more, the world is thankfully safe."

"Yay!" Ivan and Sheba chorused, their purple and green eyes meeting as they threw happy glances at each other, revelling in the joy of knowing the world was safe from danger.

"Come on, we've got some celebrating to do." Hama got to her feet, Ivan and Sheba also doing so. "Maybe have our own little party or something? How about that?"

"Hama?" Sheba spoke. Hama turned to look at her questioningly. "Will we see the group again?"

"Maybe we will, maybe we won't," Hama responded. "It is up to them if they want to come or not, I cannot see their decisions for them. But don't despair, new found friends aren't usually lost so easily."

"Okay." Sheba smiled, looking happier. "I'm sure we'll see them again... in my heart."

"I'm just going to go and get the food." Hama hurried off in the direction of the larder, leaving Ivan and Sheba alone in the room.

"Is it just me or did she know already?" Ivan frowned. "She already bought the food for the party?"

"She probably just wanted to keep us in suspense." Sheba chuckled lightly. "I'm glad the world is safe."

"Yeah." Ivan nodded. "We're safe... Hama... me... and you."

"I bet you worried about me when I was gone, didn't you?" Sheba asked.

"Of course I did!" Ivan looked slightly injured. "I couldn't bear not knowing what those scary people might be doing to you. Hama wouldn't even tell me everything and I prayed so hard you'd come back. I was so relieved when you came back in the end."

"I'm glad," said Sheba. Ivan glanced at her in surprise. "Not that you were worried exactly, but you worried for me."

"Of course I worried for you, you're my best friend." Ivan slipped his hand into Sheba's and they clutched each other's hand tightly, gazing levelly at each other. In a second, their lips met and they stood there together, sharing their quiet moment with each other, each of them aware that now they were more than just friends and happy for it too.

Hama stepped away from the barely open door, a smirk on her face, and she walked away quietly to the kitchen. Of course she had already seen this moment in her mind but had wisely chose to keep it away from the two of them so that they could discover it for themselves. Now it was time to prepare for the party and it seemed the two of them had found more reasons to celebrate.


	27. Chapter 27

**Vision**

* * *

This is the final chapter. It's hard to believe the rewrite took almost a year... yikes. But I finished eventually. 

Camelot owns Golden Sun.

* * *

A familiar boat drew up to the dock, far to the North of Weyard, and was securely tied. Five people left the boat, scarcely noticing as the cold wind whipped at them. The snow crunched comfortably underneath their feet as they walked towards the nearby city of Prox, filled with hope and excitement for what they would find there. It would surely be very different to how they had found it last time they were there, a city full of fierce warriors fighting to defend their captives and treasure, who ruthlessly plundered villages and took riches and lives too. 

So changed was the city that when they stepped past the gates and walked right into it, few people saw reason to raise an alarm, ask questions or fight them. Mia noticed a few people were staring strangely at her, but they ended up looking away again as if they had saw nothing particularly interesting about her. They probably hadn't forgotten when a troop of Proxians returned from their plunder of Imil, Mia and Alex among their numbers. Now Alex was dead and Mia was the last of the people from Imil.

"What are we going to do now?" Isaac wondered, glancing around at the citizens of Prox. Most of them sported pointy ears and reddish eyes, but there was the occasional person who looked like the average Weyardian, just like him. It was fairly easy to tell the Proxians apart due to their noticeable differences. "Ask everybody who's not Proxian if they were kidnapped?"

"Not just yet," Felix replied, which was accompanied by a questioning glare from Garet. "I think we should at least see this person who rules Prox... isn't it a bit rude to just walk into someone's city and walk out with a bunch of people without their permission? What was his name again? Saturos?"

"Yeah." Mia grimaced. She really wasn't so sure if she wanted to see the man who had led that troop which plundered her city and killed her father, but she knew that she couldn't hold this grudge forever. It just wasn't in her nature. Maybe it was better to forgive a little. If it hadn't been for the destruction of Imil, Mia would never have been captured and she would never have discovered the legend, saved the world or met her new friends including her newfound love, Isaac. "I'm not joyful at the thought of seeing him, but I shall accompany you."

"That's sorted then." Jenna looked around and then pointed towards the palace. "I think he should be in there, that's where he usually is or at least he was. I could show you straight to the throne room if I wanted, I know my way around there pretty well." Three suspicious stares pointed in her direction and she grinned sheepishly. "I was very sneaky. Nobody ever caught me either. Sometimes they saw or heard me, but that was it."

"Impressive." Garet grinned. "I was never any good at sneaking... every time I tried, I end up knocking something over. I remember when my mom went ballistic at me when I knocked her antique vase onto the floor."

"Why were you sneaking around in your own house?" Jenna stared at him.

"Sometimes I got a little hungry at night..." Garet looked sheepish. "I didn't want to wake anybody, you see."

"Okay, let's go and see Saturos now, shall we?" Isaac asked. "We don't want to waste any time hanging around."

"Of course." Jenna grabbed Garet's hand and started pulling as she walked towards the palace. "Come on, everyone, lets go!"

"Whoah!" Garet almost skidded on the ice as he tried to keep up. "Not so fast, Jenna, I nearly slipped!"

"Well then, here we go." Isaac put his arm around Mia and walked with her. "Be careful not to slip."

"I won't," Mia assured him. "Don't worry, I'm used to these conditions."

"Why are we getting so many funny looks?" Felix muttered as he followed. "We haven't sprouted extra heads or anything." Indeed, the sight of five young warriors suddenly entering the city, and foreigners at that, was strange to the Proxians.

* * *

"Are we going to let that Alex person get away with what he did?" Agatio persisted. "I don't think its fair that he's getting away with it. Look at me, I spent ages making that circlet and I lost it!" He was currently in the throne room with Saturos, who was only half listening to the rambling Martian as he tried to think about the future and what it held. It should be interesting now that he and Menardi were together. 

"I wonder if we should do trading," Saturos murmured, ignoring Agatio's complaining and questioning. "We have a lot of valuable items..."

"Are you even listening to me?" Agatio demanded, looking decidedly sulky.

"I'm sorry, what?" Saturos blinked. "Did you actually say something that wasn't just whining?"

"Forget it." Agatio shook his head, walking towards the doors. He was startled when they suddenly swung open and a soldier stood there.

"Um, Lord Saturos?" The soldier spoke up, looking straight past Agatio and at Saturos who was actually looking mildly interested now. "Some people have just arrived and they wish to see you at once. Shall I bring them here?"

"No, I shall go to them." Saturos approached the soldier. "Lead me there." The soldier nodded and led Saturos out of the throne room. Agatio watched them leave and shook his head in despair.

* * *

"This palace really is something," Isaac commented, standing in the hallway and looking around admiringly. "I'm sure it must have taken a long time to build. Prox really is such a beautiful city, it's hard to imagine it as a poor, starving town." 

"Well, it really was a poor starving town once." Jenna ran her hand over a silky tapestry hanging on the wall. "And its mostly thanks to slave labour, robbery and kidnapping that this place has prospered. Not such a great track record."

"I wouldn't mind living in such a rich, beautiful place like this with lots of money and great food and everything," Garet said enviously. "And when it snows a lot, you can build snowmen and have snowball fights too! We should have a snowball fight before we leave. But the history is definitely a minus."

"I think everybody back home will be a bit mad if we take a long time to get back because we were having a snowball fight," Felix lifted a crystal statuette off a display stand and examined it, letting the sunlight filtering through the high windows play off the crystal, shining in an array of different colours of the rainbow. "But since we've come so far already, it wouldn't hurt to have a little fun, I guess."

"Everybody back home don't control our lives," Jenna said defiantly, tossing back her hair. "Maybe we should build a snowman while we're at it. Get a carrot for the nose, coal for the eyes and mouth, and then give it Isaac's scarf."

"No, not the scarf!" Isaac prostested in mock horror, his eyes widening. "My mom knitted it for me for my birthday!"

"Here they come." Mia looked up as she heard footsteps and saw the Proxians coming towards them.

"So... what brings you people here?" Saturos asked, placing his hands on his hips and looking at each Adept in turn. "I recognise the girl who was is the Princess of Imil, but who would the rest of you happen to be?"

"So you are Saturos of Prox?" Isaac queried. Saturos nodded curtly. "I am Isaac of Vale..."

"All four of us are Valeans," Felix cut in. "I am Felix, this is Jenna, my sister, and that's Garet."

"I was also kidnapped eight years ago," Jenna added. "I was one of the Valean children who were taken."

"So you are the young Adepts who were giving us the runaround." Saturos exhaled deeply. "Well, since we aren't seeking out any treasures anymore, I no longer find fault with any of you for that. So, just why did you come here?"

"We came to bring the Valeans back home," Isaac answered.

"And seek apology," Mia blurted out, looking down. "I am trying not to hate Prox too much for what has been done, but it would make it easier if..."

"I understand," Saturos said simply. "I, too, have regrets for all the bad things that Prox has done. We have done a lot of bad things to get to where we are and I am sorry for what has been done."

"Thank you," said Mia quietly.

"So, what of Alex?" Saturos asked. "I presume you must have had a run-in with him at some point. Just a few days ago, he took the Flames of Sol from our treasure room."

"We know," Felix said. "Alex told us everything in Mt. Aleph."

"Alex's dead too," Garet added. "Mia and Alex had a really big battle and Alex lost. Good riddance to him."

"I see." Saturos looked satisfied. "I won't have to worry about him then. "Well, I have pressing matters to attend to, so do as you will while you're here, take the people we captured home, they deserve it. Farewell for now." Without waiting for further goodbyes, he turned and walked back the way he had came, the soldiers hurrying after him.

"He sure was civil." Jenna was awed. "He used to be not such a nice guy. I wonder what happened?"

"Can we go and get the others now?" Garet asked, speaking hurriedly in his excitement.

"Of course. Let's go and find them then." Felix turned and walked towards the exit, everybody following. "I guess we should split up when we're outside, the city's pretty big."

"Last time we all split up, things got complicated," Isaac complained.

"This is Prox, not a village full of thieves." Jenna nudged him. "We'll be fine!" A blast of cold air hit them as Felix pushed the palace doors open and they stepped out onto the sludge that littered the steps. "Ooh... it's so cold out here compared to inside that palace." The group split up, each person going by themselves as they weaved through the snow littered streets of Prox, searching out non-Proxian citizens and prepared to ask as many questions as they needed to.

* * *

Mia glanced around, trying to spot out anybody who was non-Proxian, but so many of the people in the crowds around her were Proxians that it was hard to find anybody who was not native to the city. Her gaze drifted towards a blonde woman sitting on the doorstep of a house and Mia stopped to look closely at her. She looked very sad, with her head resting on her knees, her legs pulled up to her body and her arms looped around them. 

"Um... excuse me?" Mia stepped towards the woman, who raised her head slowly to look at her. "Are you okay?"

"I'm perfectly fine," the woman snapped, looking away. "Mind your own business."

Mia frowned at her coarse manner and turned away with a sigh. However, the sound of a fierce coughing coming from the house caught her attention and she turned back around, alarmed by the loud noise. It clearly was not a healthy cough. "Is somebody sick?"

"My sister," Menardi sighed, guessing that the girl would not be sent away so easily. "It is just a sickness she has had for most of her life."

"Really?" Mia's countenance turned sadder. "So, your sister is very sick, and that's why you are sad, isn't it?"

"You really are a nosy person, aren't you?" Menardi said in a frustrated tone. "I'm just worried that she might..."

"Please may I go to see her?" Mia fell to her knees, bowing her head. "I am a Mercury Adept and we are very powerful healers. I may be able to do something about her condition. I can't promise anything, but please, at least let me try to help her get better!"

"Why do you care so much?" Menardi stared at her, shocked at her request. "You don't even know her, and I don't even know who you are."

"Because it's in my nature to care." Mia looked up with a soft smile. "I cannot simply turn away and leave the sick to die, I must at least try to do something for them. Will you let me try and help her?"

"Fine." Menardi got to her feet, and Mia did the same. Menardi opened the door and led her inside, gesturing at the door which led to Karst's bedroom. "My sister is in that room over there. Do whatever you can."

"I promise I'll do what I can." Mia nodded happily, stepping towards the door and grasping the knob. She winced as another volley of coughs came rolling through and pushed the door open, stepping inside the room and walking towards the bed. A young pink-skinned woman lay there, her skin pale and flushed, shiny with sweat. Her dark pink hair clung to her skin in limp, wet clumps. "Hello."

"Who are you?" Karst asked feebly, looking towards her. "I don't want any visitors. Leave me alone."

"My name's Mia and I've come to help you get better." Mia kneeled next to the bed. "What is your name?"

"Karst," Karst replied, sounding tired. "Can you really help me?" She coughed again, her body jerking up as she did so, and she sank back into the pillows with a soft groan.

"You poor thing," Mia said sympathetically. She closed her eyes and placed her hands upon Karst's chest, whispering the healing spell. "Pure Ply." A soft blue aura surrounded Mia and a fairy appeared above Karst, sprinkling her with light blue dust before disappearing. The light faded and Mia opened her eyes, taking a step back. "Are you any better now?" She asked hopefully.

"Um..." Karst took a deep breath and released it, reaching up and pushing her hair off her face. "I feel better... much better!" She sat up slowly and flexed her hands, surprised at the energy she now had. "You've really made me better. I'm well again... I don't believe this."

"I'm so glad." Mia felt a little tired after the healing spell but the intense relief she felt made up for it.

"Menardi!" Karst cried out. Menardi stepped into the room in astonishment, looking even more surprised as she saw her sister sitting up, her eyes shining brightly.

"Karst... you're better," Menardi said joyfully, rushing towards her little sister and enveloping her in a tight hug. "Thank goodness!" She glanced up at Mia. "Thank you so much. What's your name?"

"Mia," Mia answered. "I'm glad that I could help." She turned and left the house, leaving the two to celebrate by themselves.

"Mia... wasn't that..." Menardi frowned but then shrugged it off. "I'm glad to see that you're well again, Karst. You can come outside, play in the snow, do all the things you did as a child again, and you won't die so young... I was so worried, Karst, I thought you were going to die on me!"

"I won't die yet," Karst assured her. "Not yet. I've still got some living to do after all."

* * *

"Are you from Vale?" Isaac asked of two non-Proxians, a girl and a boy standing together and talking to each other. 

"Yeah." The girl nodded solemnly, though she seemed surprised at the mention of Vale. "We were taken away from our home... ten years ago?"

"Eight," the boy corrected, sounding equally sad as he thought of his home. He looked up at Isaac, frowning. "You kind of look familiar."

"I'm Isaac. You remember me, right?" Isaac smiled, glad to have found some of the Valeans at last in this huge city. "Let me guess... You must be Anna... and you're Andy, right?" They nodded eagerly. "Well, can you find anybody else who's Valean, and when you're all together, go to the gate because we're going home!"

"Yay!" Anna pulled him into a tight hug. "You're the best, Isaac!"

"Pleased to hear it." Isaac looked sheepish. "I'm not the only one here though. Don't give me all the credit."

"Well, we'd better go find everybody else then!" Andy said. "Come on, Anna." He took her arm and they rushed off to look for the other Valeans.

"Excellent." Isaac was pleased. Now things were getting easier. "I wonder how everybody else is doing."

* * *

"Are you Valean?" Felix asked of a short, dark-haired girl. The girl nodded silently. "Good. Now go to the gate and get anybody else who's Valean to come with you, okay?" 

"Are you Valean too?" The girl asked suspiciously. Felix hastily nodded and walked off, eager to find more Valeans. "Hey! Wait, at least tell me who you are. I don't remember." He quickly disappeared into a crowd, looking around intently. Felix was pleased to have found at least one of their people so far but he didn't have the time for idle chit-chat. They would have plenty of time for that on the ship, it was a whole day's journey back to Vale after all.

* * *

"Jenna? Is that you?" 

Jenna stopped, startled by the sound of someone calling her name, and turned to see a familiar girl with short brown hair run up to her. "Oh, Alice." So she'd managed to find another Valean at last. This place was just too crowded.

"Where have you been?" Alice exclaimed. "We were all wondering where you had gone and we were so worried too."

"Yeah, sorry about that." Jenna paused, wondering what she should say. It wasn't the time to tell everyone Isaac and the others had come to rescue them and she'd ended up going with them before everyone else, even getting to see home at last. "Some people came to the city and I left with them."

"Oh, how lucky... you kind of escaped, huh?" Alice smiled. "But why did you come back?"

"Because Isaac, Garet, Felix and I came to bring everyone home," Jenna replied happily. "That's right, you can all go back to Vale now. So, can you find everyone else and tell them to wait at the town gate?"

"Huh?" Alice looked confused, yet happy. "You ended up reuniting with them? How did that happen? And... didn't you have memory loss? Did you finally get it back?"

"Yes," Jenna replied, sounding somewhat impatient. "We'll explain everything later. Now please go find everyone and go to the gate."

"Okay then..." Alice turned and hurried away. Jenna sighed, shaking her head. She hoped she wasn't going to have to go through this with anyone else she found. They still seemed to have the amazing ability to get on her nerves, or was it just her? Maybe it was, now that she thought about it.

* * *

"This is stupid," Garet complained, looking around at all the Proxians. "It's as if everybody here really is Proxian... how am I supposed to find a single person who isn't Proxian in these stupid crowds? It's as if everybody who wasn't Proxian just vanished." He stopped as he saw a girl who appeared to be a little older than him walking in the opposite direction. She clearly was not Proxian and she had long red hair and reddish-brown eyes. She also looked quite familiar. 

"Kay?" Garet muttered, watching her intently. "Is that really her? It's got to be... hey, Kay!" He rushed towards her and the girl stopped in her tracks, looking curiously at him. He came to a stop and caught his breath. "You remember me, don't you?"

"How do you know my name?" Kay frowned, looking intently at him. "The strange spiky hair definitely looks familiar... you're Garet? Is it really you? What are you doing here? How did you get here? Do Mom and Dad know? When did you-"

"I just got here." Garet smiled happily. "Me, Felix, Isaac and Jenna. We came to rescue everybody, including you! Mom, Dad, Grandpa and Grandmother, Aaron... they are all waiting for you back home, in Vale."

"What took you so long?" Kay asked, tears shining in her eyes. "We've been waiting for so long for you all to come and take us back home. I'm so glad to see you again. You've grown so much in eight years." She rushed forwards and pulled him in a tight hug. "Well, have you found everybody yet?"

"Not yet." Garet shook his head. "I guess they're going to send everybody to the gate. We're just going all over the city, looking for everybody who's from Vale, and we're going to take everyone back home. Felix got a ship from this guy named Babi and we used it to get around. You wouldn't believe what's happened to us on our adventure!"

"Well, you can tell us all about it on the way home," Kay grinned. "I'll help round up the Valeans."

* * *

Soon, everybody from Vale, as well as Mia, were clustered at the gate. There was constant excited chatter going around the group and Felix, Isaac, Garet and Jenna found themselves being pelted with constant questions, which they struggled to fend off as they tried to make sure that everybody was indeed present so that they didn't leave anybody behind in the city. Soon enough, they had made sure that every person taken from Vale was present in the crowd. 

"Well, thank goodness for that," Felix said, looking relieved. "I'm glad to see that everyone is okay after all."

"Yeah. I can't even begin to imagine how hard it would have been on anyone if we came back to Vale with everyone, only to tell someone their child couldn't come back." Isaac sighed in relief.

"Alright, let's hurry home," Garet said, sounding impatient. "Everyone in Vale is waiting for us to come back."

"I guess we aren't going to have any snowball fights then?" Jenna asked jokingly. "Yeah, you're right, we should hurry back. Everyone's waited long enough already."

The excited chatter started up again as everybody walked through the snow towards the ship, leaving the city of Prox behind. The quest was over and they had finally done what they originally set out to do, recover the lost people of Vale. Now it was time to go back to Vale and bring them home again. The ship set off, a loud cheer rising in the air as it glided over the sea.

* * *

A whole day after the ship had left Prox, it neatly came to rest at the side of the river near the village, Vale. Cheers of excitement rose up from the crowd clustered on the ship and they quickly clambered off, Isaac and Mia being the last off as they had been all the way up on the crow's nest, mostly enjoying their time together rather than looking out for Felix. Not even the fact that the sky was cloudy and warned of rain was enough to dampen the Adepts' spirits as they all walked to Vale, excitement surging through them as the village became visible in the distance. 

"We're home!" Jenna announced, rushing into the plaza, shouting as loud as she could. Several people gasped and either rushed to the crowd or hurried off to let other people know of their arrival. "This has got to be one of the best days yet."

"Definitely." Garet agreed, standing besides her. "My sister's back and my family's going to be happy again, what more could I ask for?"

"How about me as your wife?" Jenna suggested, a mischevious sparkle in her eyes.

"Huh? Already?" Garet blinked at her in confusion. "Really?"

"Not yet!" Jenna chuckled, nudging him in the side. "I was just kidding. Maybe sometime in the future."

"Wow, everybody's very excited about this," Mia commented as she looked around at all the excited Valeans, hugging and crying tears of joy. "But I don't blame them if they've spent eight years apart."

"Hey, Mia," Isaac spoke up as a thought occured to him. Mia looked questioningly at him. "Have you thought anymore about... well, what you'll do next? I'm not trying to pressure you or anything. You can take your time."

"Actually, I think I have made my mind up now," Mia said firmly, slipping a hand into his and squeezing tightly. "I don't want to go back to Imil just yet. I know that I have responsibilities of my own there, but there are other people who can run the city while I'm away and... I just don't think I am ready to go back home just yet. It's too full of painful memories. If I go back now, all I will be able to think about the fact my father is no longer around and Alex betrayed me. It's just too painful."

"Mia..." Isaac said softly, a sad expression on his face. He couldn't imagine what it was like to dread the thought of going back to the place where one was born and raised. Mia really was hurting deep inside, wasn't she?

"I don't know when I will ever be ready to return to Imil, but for now my home is wherever you are, Isaac, so I want to live here with you." Mia leaned forwards and the two shared yet another passionate kiss. They had had plenty of those on the ship but were definitely not in the mood to stop now.

"Looks like everything's going perfectly," said Felix in satisfaction. "Just the way it should be."

"Garet, you're really back for good?" Aaron alighted in the middle of the crowd, looking eagerly at him. "Really?"

"Of course!" Garet responded.

"That really you, Aaron?" Kay approached her little brother, looking down with a big smile. "The last time I saw you, you were just so tiny."

"Who are you?" Aaron blinked, looking confused. "Are you Kay?"

"Of course I am." Kay nodded, smiling happily. "I'm not surprised you don't remember me, you were only five-" She broke off as Aaron let out a delighted squeal and wrapped his arms around her waist, giving her a tight hug.

"Kay!" Their mother came running through the crowd, tears of happiness springing from her eyes. "You're back! And so are you, Garet... you're both safe!" She immediately drew all three of her children into her embrace, her husband arriving and joining in so that they enjoyed a happy family reunion, all of them back together at last, the Mayor of Vale and his wife watching on from behind.

"Mom, Dad!" Isaac exclaimed as he saw his mother and father, and he rushed to rejoin them happily. "I'm home for good now, you don't need to worry about me too much anymore."

"Oh, we'll always worry about you, Isaac," Dora told him. "You're our only child after all."

"And we nearly did lose you a few times," Kyle patted his head.

"Yeah, several times," Isaac chuckled dryly. He momentarily wondered if he should tell them about the bandit who almost slit his throat, but then he immediately decided that they didn't need to hear such a thing, it was better to just enjoy this glad moment. He was back home and so was everyone else.

"Mom, Dad," Jenna beamed as she hugged her parents. "Look, we brought everybody back home as quickly as we could."

"We considered having a snowball fight, I think, but decided against it," Felix added. "We just all wanted to get home as soon as possible and now we are."

"Do you think we'll have more adventures?" Jenna asked thoughtfully.

"Well, that ship won't go to waste, but I've had enough of sailing to last me a long while," Felix responded with a smile. "Lets just concentrate on catching up with each other now that we're back home."

"I'm glad to be back home." Jenna smiled.

"Me too," Felix answered, hugging her.

The rest of the day passed in a swirl of happiness as everybody was so happy about the children finally returning and now Vale was surely restored, just the way it had used to be. With the threat of Prox dimnished, there was little cause to worry about the possibility of the village being attacked again and they could all relax and no longer worry.

That night, Mia, who was staying in the spare room of Isaac's house, was about to drop off to sleep when she heard a gentle tapping on her window. She got out of her bed with a confused look on her face and walked over to the window, surprised to see a pigeon standing on the windowsill. Mia pulled open the window and let it in. The pigeon flew around the room for a minute before alighting on her shoulder and sticking out its leg. Mia realised that it had a piece of paper tied to it and gently loosened the string, pulling out the piece of paper and smoothing it flat to read the note.

'Mia,  
I hope that this note reaches you safely. The pigeon is specially able to find certain people so it should be able to get to you. When you're sending it off, just tell it who to go to and where. How is the world now? It is difficult to know as we do not often leave Lemuria. I also hope very much that you were well.  
Piers'

Mia smiled and walked over to the bed, reaching towards the bedside table and pulling open a drawer, taking out a pen and a sheet of paper. She gently scribed her note on the new piece of paper in her neat, scripted handwriting.

'Piers,  
Thank you for the note, I was quite surprised to receive it. The world is safe, Alex was defeated in battle and lost his life. Now I can concentrate on rebuilding my life as the adventure is over. I am not planning to return to Imil just yet. Maybe someday I will, but for now, I wish to spend my time with my dear friends.  
Mia'

Mia tied up the note with the string and tied it to the pigeon's foot. "Take it to Piers in Lemuria." The pigeon chirped and flew out of the window, disappearing into the sky. Mia rested her head in her hands, wondering how it was possible the pigeon could do this. She put her hands down and rested her head in her arms, exhaling deeply as she relaxed. The house was so quiet at this time of night and so was the village outside. It was peaceful and calming.

* * *

"Somebody tell me why it's just the four of us going on this walk in the night?" Isaac asked as he walked down towards the plaza accompanied by Garet, Felix and Jenna. "Most people are sleeping." 

"We didn't bring Mia along either," Garet said, looking around in confusion. "It's kinda strange, isn't it?"

"It's a Valean thing," Felix assured him. "We aren't purposefully singling Mia out, it's something just for the four of us. I think it's time we spent some time together just like this, right?"

"Yeah, that makes sense." Garet nodded. "I understand now."

"Hmm." Jenna looked around the plaza and pointed. "That way!" The four of them hurried towards the shops, only to go behind them and approach the cliff wall, feeling around until they found a cluster of hanging vines. Isaac swept the vines aside and clambered in, finding the ground a lot rockier than he remembered. The other three followed him in until they reached the end and sat against the wall in a row, just as they had done eight years ago.

"It's been a long time since we've done this, hasn't it?" Isaac said wryly. "It's the same dark and musty cave as it has always been. Remember the ghost stories we told while we were in here?"

"How this was the resting place of a long dead Adept?" Felix recalled. "And Garet made up some stupid story with a snake in the chest?" The chest was still there, looking quite dirty and neglected.

"And I held Isaac's toy rabbit hostage," Jenna added.

"And I scared Jenna." Garet grinned. "It was quite funny then. Hey, Jenna, do you want to hear another scary story?" Jenna just shot him a dry look. "I guess not."

"And this was the best hiding place in the whole of Vale!" Isaac finished. "You just couldn't find me no matter how hard you tried. That was a fun game of hide and seek, wasn't it?"

"Except I gave myself away by laughing," Jenna recalled, shaking her head. She really hadn't been any good at that game.

"And my hiding place was the worst!" Garet exclaimed.

"Never mind, at least you two made my job easier," Felix said cheerfully. Jenna scowled and punched him.

"It's been eight years since we last sat in here." Isaac ran a hand through his blond spiky hair. "We were only children then, but now we're nearly adults. It sure is good to be back together again, the four of us."

"You bet," Garet said eagerly. "Sure, we can't play games anymore without people thinking we're weird or anything, but at least we're together again!"

"And maybe this time we really can go into the caves of Vale," Jenna said, her eyes shining in excitement. "We're older, we have Psynergy, and we're not afraid of anything!"

"Not anymore, no." Felix grinned and brushed away a spider that had crawled onto him. "After everything that we've been through, I think we can handle pretty much anything. So long as we stick together, the way it should be."


End file.
